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Celtic Diary Friday September 1: TFI Friday …And Breathe

As sportswriters all over Europe struggle to think of an original metaphor for the end of the buying and selling, amatuers like myself merely cheer ourselves with the thought that its over.

There was a late addition to the Celtic squad when Oddsone Edouard joined an already impressive French contingent at the club, the forward signing a loan deal which has an option to buy with the price already set somewhere between 8,5 and 10 million euros, which given the current direction in value of the old english pound, will probably mean we’ll have to sell the ground to pay for him next summer.

Scotland should apply to join the Euro. I’m going to.

Edouard will have twelve months to prove he’s the next Dembele, and will be able to watch the original in action as well, and will know whats required.

That gives us three strikers of real quality, something we haven’t had since the days of Larsson, Sutton and Hartson.

There was resounding disappointment that a centre half wasn’t acquired, and Peter Lawwell went on twitter to accept his failings..

I can get to fuck 

A preventative measure designed to save the social media site from crashing under the weight of frustrated Celtic supporters who once again claim the club has refused to build from a position of strength.

But is that the case ?

As well as Edouard, easily an upgrade on the departed Nadir Ciftci,the club has signed a real class act in Olivier Ntcham, without losing any of midfielders. Well, any of note, that is. Johnny Hayes over Gary Mackay Steven ?

Patrick Roberts, by the end of his loan spell, will have been at the club for two and a half years. We should be happy with that, and not bemoan something, the permanent move, that was outwith Celtic’s control.

Thats without mentioning Benyu, who is another with immense potential, who now has the stage to display it.

We might not have the best defence in the world, but we do have a set of players who are comfortable with each other, and Asatana apart, are difficult to breach.

Alright, we may not have acquired another centre half, but the main three and the back up are still here, despite two of them looking like they were on their way.

The main target, Rivaldo Coetzee moved to Mamelodi Sundowns yesterday, as they took a gamble on his foot issues, which are that the bones are fused together in a condition that cannot be fixe, and will get worse.

We tried, but it wasn’t to be.

Rogers will have told them they can’t go, but if they perform well at the highest level over the next few months, it will be bigger clubs than Burnley and Copenhagen who come knocking, and the club, too, will have raised its profile and maybe a few more hungry players languishing on the sidelines at cash rich clubs will prefer the playing route to success.

Are we stronger ?

You decide…

I’d have Ralston ahead of Gamboa in that, but you get the picture.

Are we at the level of Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain ?

No, of course not, at least on paper.

Can we compete at the level below the elite this season ?

I’d like to think that we can, because these guys are growing and learning together, under an astute management team, and thats worth far more than any new signing.

Before you type your reply, ask yourself when the last time was Celtic had a sustained core to the team, and didn’t flog our best players to the first bidder…

Its not easy to convince players to come to Glasgow, and as supporters we maybe don’t see that, but with the money on offer elsewhere, its hardly surprising we don’t always get who we want.

The success of our scouting team, Wanyama, Forster, van Dijk,  Dembele et al means that English clubs will be employing scouts to follow our scouts, thus cutting out the need to pay Celtic anything…

When the fuss dies down, we’ll remember this as not a bad window after all, despite our misgivings.

The twenty eighth player to leave Celtic this summer is Aiden Nesbitt. He’s away to MK Dons to realise his potential, and we wish him well.

So thats that….on we go with the rest of the show.

Theres no football this weekend, Celtic don’t play again until a week today at Hamilton, where they will face, er, Hamilton.

Then its Celtic Park the following midweek for the visit of Paris St. Germain.

To keep their eye in , several Celts are on international duty, whilst some of the Scottish players have been selected to play in a bounce match in Lithuania. Thast tonight, I think.

Perhaps this is the last time our players should be allowed to play in meaningless games far far away.

STV, the Scottish franchise among the Independent Television network will be showing England v Malta, which is understandable, as it has a marketing deal with “rangers ” , the English club based north of the border.

Whilst some may feel the need to criticise the channel for showing that game, its maybe important to ask who sold the rights to the Scotland game, who to, how much for and how long the deal lasts..

You see, when you look through the SFA website for this sort of information, the actual money involved is difficult to find..

But there was a wee note under the 2008 deal to put our minds at rest…

1. While the fine details of the deal are subject to commercial confidentiality, once all aspects of it are taken into consideration it will be worth between £55-£60million to the Scottish FA. 

There’s that transparency we crave… as with the SPFL…( Daily Mail

Scottish football was toasting an unexpected windfall from TV on Thursday night after Sky and BT Sports agreed to extend their coverage of our game by a further three years.

Both broadcasters were already locked into a deal until the end of season 2016-17 but on Thursday pledged to extend their commitment by a further three years until 2020.

Sportsmail understands the terms of the new deal represents a 25 per cent increase on the existing arrangement. 

Or thereabouts..

Where money is concerned with the powers that be in our game, we should be demanding audits.

After all, we’re paying for it.

Now for some news on Phil Ateley…

CELTIC Football Club is delighted to announce that the Lisbon Lions, our greatest ever team have been honoured by The Royal Mail through a special set of stamps,to mark the 50th anniversary year of Celtic’s most famous victory.    

Celtic was the first British club to lift the European Cup in 1967 and this has now been remembered and honoured through a special set of stamps which are available to supporters.

Only a limited edition of 5,000, individually numbered sets have been produced.

The stamp sheet includes 10 labels containing iconic photos of the quarter-final, semi-final and the final as well as the celebrations following Celtic’s victory.

Also included are 10 Scottish saltire Stamps, which can be used, although we are sure these will become major collectors’ items for fans.  

The presentation folder tells the story of the final and how Celtic got there including key stats on who they played, the scores and the scorers.

It also explores what was particularly special about the Lisbon Lions and why they merit their place in the history of football.

These great packs are available at any official store or online at celticsuperstore.co.uk

Ah, wait. I thought he was a free agent who played at centre half.

My bad.

Again.

Want to do something useful ?

The Parlour is through to the next round of the competition!! Please get voting daily to help us achieve upset win!

You can vote every day…

bestsoccerbar vote

Ah, useful, there’s a word.

Chris Jack of the Herald group.

He did his best to be useful yesterday….

I’ve something that “Union ” Jack might find useful.

It’s a transcript of the reply given by Hearts to “rangers ” when the infant Glasgow club offered to pay in instalments, and even add one of their players as a makeshift to the deal…

Still, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Ibrox support. They got their man… and they were delighted !

Having seen the trend away from the old er, traditions at Ibrox, investors have suddenly become interested…

And the marketing division are right on the ball as well…

Well, nearly on the ball. They forgot the obvious one.

Which had one chap fuming in the club shop…

Oh, by the way, I have to confirm that despite claims to the contrary, these people were not “rangers “fans.

Or were they ?

Gullihillbillies RSC were unavailable for comment.

Image result for hillbilly

It’s Friday, and its that time again.

Etims Knob Of The Week 

He really is setting the pace. We are truly blessed-he likes that word- to have him amongst us.

After a recent grilling on BT sport by straight talking former Celt Chris Sutton, Pedro Caixinha found himself sitting next to an adoring fan on a plane, or a train, or whoever it was who offered him a lift home from wherever he was, and he made tha chap sit up and listen with this declaration….

Setting a pace that no one can even begin to compete with in this category, Pedro Caixinha once more ascends the podium of perfection and continues with his firm grip on the title of

Etims Knob Of The Week 

 

Captions and pictures now, and from yesterday we have..

BJF August 31, 2017 at 11:04 am · Edit · Reply →

Caption:Sevco develops device to prevent players from blessing themselves. 

Today…

Image result for strange photos from history

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Gerard
6 years ago

Billy looking for spare change to help with Dave kings warchest

Craiginho
6 years ago

Even with their ear to the ground, Celtic fans are unable to hear the Rangers coming.

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago

Several laugh out loud moments,Ralph.The Sheikh and the key rings ,oh,and on paper Celtic are not as good as Bayern and PSG,the pitch? Big Virgil didn’t get his move so ha ha Peter,no trip to the Biscuit Tin(huge,so I hear).
Now we have three strikers.One on loan,one injury prone and one to take the corners?
We might not have the best defence in the world,please,no more,and are difficult to breach?Aye right!Signed BM,PSG,A.
P.S.Could we get our stamps from someone else,a bit less Royal(sorry for obscenity)?

George Lazenbhoy
6 years ago

Sfa refute claim that new goal line technology could be open to errors

Big Shuggy
6 years ago

watch Desi. Some on here will be calling you a mate of Johns and a hun

Admin
6 years ago

Ralph, I know your being an optimistic pragmatist here and no great supporter of the Board etc but have to say at some point reality has to hit home. We seem happy treading water in the warm pool of “Och its awright, what can you do eh?”.

I reckon we have stagnated at best and at worse go into next 4 months biting nails worrying who is available and I would contend that’s for games against Aberdeen and even the Huns let alone PSG, Bayern and of course Anderlecht.

The Board have had 4 months to sort out the raising of the quality. The idea that Ntcham is the next best thing since sliced bread is also too much, he has had 1 great game away in Europe and some nice touches but he and Brown together brings new problems to the side.

Watching Brendan give out that “It can be bad having a 3rd striker” pap was sad to see, I doubt any manager dismisses the possibility of working with more and better players at any opportunity.

Finally, picking up on one of your lines:

Before you type your reply, ask yourself when the last time was Celtic had a sustained core to the team, and didn’t flog our best players to the first bidder…

A core implies
Strong keeper – strong centre half\pairing – strong midfield – top striker

Our keeper is good shot stopper but prone to either panicking with ball at feet or staying static when he should come out or off his line

Our best centre pairing is still unknown and 2 out of 3 are injury prone and 1 is fragile and cant play on astroturf

Our midfield has a captain who increasingly seems to be heading backwards to playing in a sweeper position and the dynamic guys in the midfield are being overlooked for 2 short passers of the ball with no pace or forward thrust.

Our centre forwards – 2 are injury prone, 1 is likely to get suspended and the other is a temperamental young guy who has everything to prove and is nowhere near a finished striker. For every Dembele theres a Jérémie Aliadière

6 years ago
Reply to  Ralph Malph

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Ralph Malph

Speaking of curtains,C.L.group results……Celtics’ new sponsor…..247curtains.co.uk….

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Ralph Malph

But ..but…but

6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

…………….. GORDON
………. SIMUNOVIC BOYATA
………..BROWN ARMSTRONG
………………. ROGIC
……………. GRIFFITHS

Good enough for 2016 not good enough for 2017?
Unbeaten all season Domestically
Treble winners and twice now Champions League qualifiers and all of a sudden they are deemed substandard?
It would appear that success really is breeding contempt among some of us?
These are the good times perhaps you should just enjoy them whilst they last and appreciate the positives all these guys bring to a terrific Celtic TEAM.

Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

The criticism is NOT against the current players or what they achieved previously.

Its about maximising opportunity whilst ensuing the club move forward continuously in a positive motion.

We have already seen signs of fatigue having an impact on the side. Over the next few months that will only get worse.

We have 3 centre halves. None are robust. The issue isn’t their ability, its their reliability. That issue could and should have been addressed by buying a better centre half.

If the club are skint, they should be open about it. Taking in monies over 2 CL seasons will buy us a Hotel. Long term planners can applaud all they want but I doubt Brendan can play a Hotel blueprint at Celtic Park anytime soon.

6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

The Club are not Skint Desi the problem lies with trying to get quality in and attracting them to play in Scotland.
Perhaps you are unaware of the prices of defenders over the border?

Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

You honestly believe we could not attract one decent defender to play for Glasgow Celtic?

There are leagues beyond EPL and Ligue 1 as 2 of our current centre halves prove.

Im not asking for VVD, Im asking for a decent player who plays in his position.

Every player will get my full support as always but seeing square pegs in round holes is something that could have easily been avoided.

No one would have cared if Nir Bitton was moved on in May, and now we are currently relying on the poor guy at centre back.

People see what they want to see.

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

The chances of having all 3 CBs injured at once were small but it happened?
It happened and we still qualified for the Champions League.
Now 2 of those 3 are back in training whilst the 3rd who some said was away this week is still here and a Celtic player.
Nir can still do a job as back up for Brown and any of the 3 mentioned so therefore justifies him being retained as a squad player.
A position the player himself seems to accept.
So many folk concentrating on negativity it seems the fact we had a squad go an entire season undefeated has been ignored and pushed to one side as yet another farcical Transfer Madness Window slams shut.
Agents are greedy bastards mate they want the big pay days every year now and unfortunately that spells problems for clubs like us forced to play in an unfancied League left behind by Moneyball in Europe?
The days of attracting the Suttons and Hartsons to Celtic are long gone bud we have been forced to deploy a different approach and now that approach is paying dividends ends see Wanyama VanDijk Forster for examples fans expectations are exceeding our capabilities it would current squad fit and on their A game will give anyone a game on their day.
That’s the way it has been for decades.
Blame SKY ,blame the SFA,blame UEFA but for fucks sakes stop blaming the Club.
We tried to sign players that’s all we can do?
If they don’t want to come what else can we do?
We can’t match the wages,we can’t match the level of football on offer in Scotland.
These are the facts.

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Could you kindly remove Pele,I mean Gordon…..

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

Thanks desi.That Ralph must be related to Pedro, on paper….

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  ROB O'KEEFFE

Peter does……..I still like your away top…..

Admin
6 years ago

Just thinking there

I don’t know what to actually thing when I hear folk cheering how this summer we sorted out contracts for Stuart Armstrong and Paddy Roberts.

Whilst they are fine players and do well in the Hoops…did we sort out their contracts or did we sit around waiting for them to decide to finally commit towards the end of the transfer window and may have had an impact on pursuing other signings that we should have been closing?

Feel free to Ignore me of course..this black cloud isn’t lifting for a wee while so I shall go sit in a dark corner.

6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

Go watch the extended highlights of the Red Imps game.

Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Someone last night was giving it “I remember the 90s!”

We should be looking forward, not backwards.

6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

Red Imps was last year Desi.

Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Exactly. demonstrating how far some folk are gonna go back to justify “Everythings great this window!”

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

This all comes down to expectations bud.
I want us to take a gamble with spending a bit more but I know accept that this can only happen if the intended target wants to come?
My main concern going into this window was not having our squad weakened by losing our best players.
For the first time in recent years that never happened.
Despite all the shit written saying it would?
We retained a full squad ,a squad that was capable of drawing home and away with Man City and who DOMINATED the domestic scene.
On top of that we added a couple of highly talented young players with great potential.
I would say given the madness that ensued just 400 miles South of Glasgow we did more than ok.
Brendan may well have got his targets this time?
Or perhaps they may come in Jan?
Time will tell.

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

Desi, you are not alone.

Personally, I consider all 3 CHs to be injury prone, thus a serious risk area before Champs League.

And, as for not losing any top players/not being weaker, the spin last year was with all the Champs League riches plus other extra income, we were going to get a quality uplift of the team but it’s not happened.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

What you consider is actually irrelevant bud it’s what the Manager actually considers and thinks is the priority?
If he thinks retaining all 3 CBs currently at the Club is a better option than bringing in an unknown entity then that’s his call?
After all he’s the guy who watches them every day in training and has had the opportunity to Manage decent players previously elsewhere?
I would contest Ntcham Hayes Roberts Benyu and the new French kid are an upgrade on what we had at our disposal last Season?
That’s just an opinion on an Internet Blog of course that changes hee haw in the big scheme of things.

FredCDobbs
6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

we are better now than last season. I would have settled for only getting Roberts back. We will get some games in the CL but wont get to the knock out winning the league will get us another shot next year and this is a better squad. Onward and upward.

6 years ago
Reply to  FredCDobbs

Spot on Fred.

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

Please John, where are you? The Huns oops esteemed colleagues at work are pissing themselves at our World Class carry on. One of them stated that at least they know they’re utter crap, we think we can compete in our group. This is mostly Ralph’s fault talking about on paper and hard to breach etc

6 years ago

Young Ralston in my opinion, isn’t ready for first team football,Gamboa, isn’t a bad right back he has plenty of pace,so I would place him in front of young Ralston,This is a Celtic blog ,not a Sevco one,

6 years ago
Reply to  Fullerton

Ralston is no tierney. I watched him in the youth tournament earlier this year for Scotland where he was just above average
That’s why he is offski

6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

Erm. I meant nisbet.

6 years ago

Not going to comment much today as my feelings are well documented and do not correspond to the accepted wisdom (what people are told to believe). But i am going to comment on the content ofmany Celtic websites. After the Celts for Change campaign and when ‘the rebels won’ some voices in that campaign became very close to the new board, one even got himself a job at the Celtic view. A very smart thing to do on the part of the new board as it silences any potential criticism and ends the need to deal with anyone attempting to call people to account. I have noticed in recent months that this has happened to virtually all of the ‘independent’ Celtic websites, including this one. It was the first thing that Dave King did when he arrived at Ibrox. He neutralised all possible sources of opposition and gave himself free reign to do as he pleases. We have even got bloggers lamented that Celtic have to use CL money to cover the costs of the day to day running of the club, which is a lie. I really hope that the bloggers are getting well paid for this because to sell your soul for the occasional freebie like the clowns at Ibrox have seems like being taken advantage of. But we now go to play against the most expensive players in the world with a make-shift defence and a load of prospects. Better get back to mass and pray. I suppose the unseen hand of the almighty might touch Johnny Hayes and turn him into a decent footballer. I wouldn’t bet on it though.

6 years ago
Reply to  john

The makeshift defence that’s been together for 2 years?
Or should we slip in an unknown untested CB to satisfy the whims of a few deluded Tims thinking spending £8m on a defender will somehow stop two of the best attacking teams in World Football from scoring at Celtic Park?
We beat Barcelona at Celtic Park with a defence that cost
Lustig FREE
Ambrose £850k-£1.2m ( a Righ Back playing at CB)
Wilson FREE
Matthews £250k (a Left Back playing at Right Back)

We now have a squad who have been together for several years under a manager who knows how to get a side playing good football.
If all are fit I see no issue with going with wha we have.
But then I’m a glass half full kinda guy.
HH

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Charlie that 8 million investment may be the difference between at least getting into Europa or finishing bottom of the group or even getting second place. It would also placate the fans into at least believing we are trying to be ambitious

6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

I believe we have enough about us to beat Anderlecht home and away.
They currently sit in 11th spot after 5 games with 1 win in 5.

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Yeah but the point is why not make it that bit surer by bolstering our defensive choices. We are lacking here big time

6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

Yes because dropping an unknown into the mix almost always works?
The only reason this we need another defender stuff started was due to the injuries and supposedly Jozo wanting away?
Well as far as I know he’s still here and both Boyata and Sviatchenko are back in training?
Go figure.

Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Kolo Toure anyone?

It amazes me how fellow Celtic fans think criticism of the wndow activity means folk are belittling players, management or club.

All I ask is for the team and management to be given every opportunity to flourish. I see no evidence of that under current summer activity.

I don’t belittle the players who won the Treble, I feel sorry that their reward is a short holiday then thrust back under pressure with minimum support.

In all honesty, I think the current team are labouring. Celtic at its strength can be a truly decent side but we are missing many key players and that intensifies pressure on others who may not be up to the task.

This goes well beyond some glamour clashes with Neymar and Ribery etc

AND I’m still waiting on someone explaining why Jozo was on the bench and not playing versus St Johnstone.

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

I suggested perhaps Jozo told Brendan he wants a move to the mighty Burnley to go sit on their Bench on 35k a week and Brendan said something like… “I tell you what son you sit on our bench and watch us play St Johnstone so you can get a feel for what’s ahead mr injury prone”
Or something like that.
Then coughed PSG as he walked away… 😉

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  john

It was certainly the case in the past that Celtic PLC liked to co-opt and neutralise dissent.

As well as Matt McGlone, who you refer to, the multimedia department was sourced from websites.

CQN has always been seen as Peter’s Pet (Lawwell).

I remember reading an article (think it was on CU but may have been here) about how they wouldn’t simply toe the board line so were excluded from briefings etc.

This Diary does seem to have taken an odd turn from when a pow wow with Lawwell where tough questions were going to be asked to complete silence on that and totally subservience to the board’s position.

Having said that Ralph appears to be bipolar vacillating between everything’s perfect so shut up to total doom and gloom and he’ll never darken Parkhead’s doors again.

Personally I don’t think he or etims have been got at, it’s just the nature of the man.

Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

nail – head!

Theres no chance we at Etims will ever be part of the Celtic Fc love-in ensemble.

We are happy to help out the Foundation and John Paul here and there but that’s about it.

Ralph goes to fans rep meetings and on every return its a loud sigh of disappointment as Peter plays the long game and says nothing of note whilst asking “just give me more time”.

If you ever think Ralph is being pro board or hanging back on having a go where deserved, chances are he is working in the background on something bigger, ie Res 12.

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Ralph Malph

Looking forward to the next pendulum swing. 😉

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Ralph Malph

Anti GB as well. Wonder where /who that came from?….

6 years ago
Reply to  Ralph Malph

🙂 Belter

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

Didn’t think it but still glad to have it confirmed.

Leave the fleeting glory hunting and perpetual ignominy to others.

Rebus67
6 years ago
Reply to  john

John,

A big part of how the Board is perceived arises from the fact that there is no fan representative on it.

It defies reason that an organisation that relies so heavily on its fans, permits no input at the executive level. Archaic, IMHO!

Get a fan rep on there and there is a chance that the club’s communication strategy will improve.

Rebus

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Rebus67

Hear,hear.Mine’s a pint,Rebus…..

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

I’m sorry you’re a HO…….needs must though…

chorleybhoy
6 years ago

35 million for danny drinkwater FFS where do Celtic go
when EPL clubs are willing to spend mad money on average players

6 years ago
Reply to  chorleybhoy

Spot on.. See Jonny Evans for example.

Jin
6 years ago
Reply to  chorleybhoy

Why are you comparing Celtic to the EPL?
Do you think footballers only hail from these 2 countries?

6 years ago
Reply to  Jin

Hardly when you consider the Nationality of our squad.
The problem we have is he teams with serious money tend to scoop up the better players with better incentives than we can offer.
We are currently targeting players with potential.
There is good reason for that.

6 years ago

Good point Fullerton. Any time the board or anything in green deserve criticism we go into full Sevco deflection. this time I believe it is to do with them not signing some no-mark from Hearts. I didn’t really read any of this but it is as transparent as the Daily Record. a club not on our level, we are light years ahead of them and we nearly all say they are dead, yet here we go with half an article on dead/impoverished new/old rangers. We don’t need to concern ourselves with them at all. Unless there is another agenda… we are actually keeping them alive. Why are we not writing about our superiorit over Motherwell? Same thing.

Wolfie bhoy
6 years ago

Desi you take it easy son and be careful not to choke on your half empty glass of doom and gloom. You must be a right good source of encouragement and inspiration to all around you. Where can I sign up for your motivational classes ? You sound a fab guy with real spunk. Jesus!the end is nigh.God help us if you got into the dressing room in Lisbon.

6 years ago
Reply to  Wolfie bhoy

To each his own.

I just had the impression the club were finally going to kick on from a position of strength. I don’t think we have.

Time will tell but nowt wrong in being the person who calls out the naked Emperor now and again.

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Desimond

Hear hear.

For everyone admiring our well covered defence, there’s plenty of others seeing it as being stark bollock naked!

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Each to their own big bhoy x 😉 x

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

For the avoidance of doubt, I do not consider it an appealing vista.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Cats out the bag noo Cha whatever floats yer boat bud 😉

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Desimond

But then again, you bought into the circus with your eyes open. Us older guys play it clever and don’t get pumped…

6 years ago
Reply to  ROB O'KEEFFE

Been a Celt for well over 4 decades myself…

Rebus67
6 years ago
Reply to  Desimond

Desi,

Good post! Someone needs to kick the tires!

Rebus

Honest hoops
6 years ago

I was hoping we would have secured a CB…dare I say it…. Johnny Evans was keen to leave WBA, he is not worth anywhere near the figure quoted down south at £15m but we could have cleverly made the contract with add on , sell on clause etc, etc seem huge…cough, cough

6 years ago
Reply to  Honest hoops

Man City had an £18m bid REJECTED.
That’s Man City who can pay him £100k a week without blinking.
Seriously we need to get real about our situation in this shite hole of League we are forced to survive in bud.

Mick Cass
6 years ago

Caption: It’s true! The driveway really is heated…

6 years ago
Reply to  Mick Cass

🙂

Alzyerpal
6 years ago

Caption: After colliding with Jozo Simunovic the Isle Of Man TT resumes.

Auldheid
6 years ago

Scotland’s answer for Video Assisted Refereeing is proving more entertaining than the game itself.

6 years ago

Desi you are spot on. the manager was flat out lying to protect his bosses. Strong core to the team? Which does not have a defence and where Boyata has been elevated to the level of Beckenbauer. And do you know why he is now thought of as Beckenbauer because he has not played in two months and most football supporters can’t remember last week never mind a couple of months ago. Why Rodgers is protecting the board i do not know he said he would not hesitate to call them out when he was at his initial press conference. Maybe a wee slice of the action. I don’t think the sainted Brendan will be at Celtic Park this time next year because this campaign will be damaging. To him personally, to the club and to Scottish football. I am quite prepared to be wrong, and would be delighted to be so, however, my gut feeling is that we could get turned over by Barcelona margins on more than one occasion. defeat against Anderlecht away in September means the rest of the games, in all liklihood, Brendan will not stick around for a third year knowing he has no say in how the club is developing. And as for the Daily Record/Sun PR piece this morning. That is pathetic. If this came out of Ibrox we would be mocking them ceaselessly. This is an appease the dummies piece if ever there was one Jabba jimmy would be proud of it.

6 years ago
Reply to  john

John we will be judged in Europe. The benchmark of unbeaten trebles has already been established, we can’t go anywhere else other than to win it again, which would be great. I see two seperate realities here. One group of fans content with glorious failures and domestic bliss , the other group wanting unachievable glory in Europe totally pissed off by a lack of ambition shown by the board. Maybe the Peter principle has a ring of truth to it and we are somewhere in between

Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

Theres a middle ground too mind

An incremental increase in quality and reliability all over the park as the club move forward. No delusions of grandeur against the cream and rich of Europe but a welcome appreciation as players improve and move forward together.

6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

Yeah totally concur but that brings the dynamic between Brendan’s wants and needs and the boards austerity into question. I think this is where john is coming from

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

PISH

6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Lol pish was to desis comment now it’s owned to mine. Maybe I both are pish

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

Bit boring…..

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

Reply to Ds middle ground….

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  john

Sadly, sounds all spot on…

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  ROB O'KEEFFE

To john’s brilliance….

6 years ago

Wolfie. Hope is entirely dependent on context. If you are Nir Bitton and you are in the dressing room at Celtic Park and are thinking of Neymar and Mbappe and Cavani you will be thinking about getting off the park without it being double figures. Especially when you look around and Lustig is your defensive partner and Craig Gordon is the goalie. Nir Bitton knows he should not be inside the same stadium as these guys. This is not going to be pretty. We have gone from we will compete to, avoid humiliation being the best. We even console ourselves that Barca 7-0 wasn’t that bad becasue Barca can turn any one over. This is a hopeless situation. So much so that I will be giving my tickets away. I am not going to celtic Park to witness a slaughter I don’t care how good the bloody atmosphere is and how much PSG love it. w

bob
6 years ago
Reply to  john

John

Best you sit in the house behind the couch mate supporters like you we could do without.

6 years ago
Reply to  bob

Bit unfair bob. I don’t see john like that at all, think he wants what’s best and is not backward in coming forward about it. Shooting him down doesn’t help

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

Exactly, a lot of fans and players are not happy at the moment and it’s showing…

Bob
6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

Fair enough iancelt67 i feel that we are a lot better than some of the comments but it’s all about options I suppose.

6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

🙂 Weered

Wolfiebhoy
6 years ago

John will be standing with his nose pressed against the window of the door to desis motivational classes opening night,turn it in bhoys,ffs.

jebus
6 years ago

caption: huns everywhere try to rub their ears of after hearing the name Declan in the line-up!

jebus
6 years ago
Reply to  jebus

off*

doh!

Wolfiebhoy
6 years ago

Give me a shout John, my brother is coming over from the Isle of Man for the PSG game ticketless, and will gladly accept your tickets to experience one of those special Celtic park champions league atmospheres,for us , not for anybody else but for us and our players. HH.

Big Shuggy
6 years ago

Caption:When Celtic weren’t playing a young Ralph Malph loved nothing more than to get blootered and enter the blotto moto gp or more commonly known sidecar racing.

6 years ago

Think it’s ok we didn’t sell. I don’t think all these uber players we could’ve acquired would cherish trips to rugby park or Hamilton. Buying this air gun kid, the enfante terrible may be the way forward

bob
6 years ago

Happy with this transfer window! ok no cb but when all fit and keeping hold of Dembele,Tierney,Armstrong et al we come out of it stronger than when we went in.

6 years ago
Reply to  bob

Spot on.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

PISH

Wolfiebhoy
6 years ago

Not interested in the caption competition,it’s just a side show. Apologies.

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Wolfiebhoy

WINNER…

6 years ago

It’s really hard to get players in when we have a reserve team ththts capable of beating maybe all but 2 teams. Unless they just want domestic trophies. The only reason they might come is to be showcased in 6 champions league games in the hope they may get snapped up by the elite. We have an optimal environment to win the league for years to come. That’s not enough incentive for the players we would like to see playing

Devoy45
6 years ago

Here’s some incentive: beat PSG, Bayern Munich, Anderlecht.
Beat Barca, beat AC Milan, beat Man. Utd (we’ve beat all 3 in recent seasons)
Plenty of incentive here.
Money can buy freedom and it may even buy love but it can also buy Scheidt, Gillespie, Juninho, etc bloody etc.
Celtic now has a team that when fit should not have too many excuses to lose to any European club, when we are on our game. Let’s wait see.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Devoy45

Nurse

rab wallace
6 years ago

Caption ” sevco’s new method of trying to catch Celtic’

Monti
6 years ago

We needed to strengthen the defence….we didn’t!

Disappointed!

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Take it that’s a slight understatement Monti?…

el_guapo
6 years ago

The clamour to buy a new centre back I can sort of understand but the fact remains that spending 5 million on someone from Scandinavia or Croatia doesn’t give us any better a chance of beating PSG/Bayern.
People rightly talk about us treading water but unfortunately this is as good as it gets now for us. Get to the Champions League and maybe come 3rd in the group and have a good run in the Europa League. That’s the level we are at and will be at unless finances are sorted out throughout the whole of football from top to bottom. Outside of Celtic I have no interest in football anymore. It’s rigged and has been for years.

Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  el_guapo

PSG and Bayern are football squirrels in this argument though.
They aren’t relevant and anything gained home or away is a shock bonus.

A decent 5m centre half might have helped us against Anderlecht which is the main desire over next few months.

6 years ago
Reply to  el_guapo

Spot on.

FredCDobbs
6 years ago
Reply to  el_guapo

everyone is banging on about a new CH when the real problem is betwween the sticks.

6 years ago
Reply to  FredCDobbs

I was hoping for a new Keeper and a Right Back but hey ho 🙂

Monti
6 years ago

LAWWELL OUT…JUST FUCK OFF!
” World class in everything we try to do “? Fuck off!

Lewandowski, Neymar, Muller, Cavani……..throw Ajer in…sorted!

Fucking hell

6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Efe and Ronny rejoice..It’s Peters turn this Season 😉

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Don’t forget Mbappe Monti he’s not too shabby 🙂

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Where is Dermot Desmond? What are his thoughts?.

6 years ago
Reply to  ROB O'KEEFFE

Get yer man Ewan McTeagle the Sevco Legal Eagle to phone him from his safe house in Renton 😉

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Please explain in understandable wording,unlike your tactics and team selections……

6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

Sure it’s only make believe x 😉 x

Monti
6 years ago

….and where’s Mike?

6 years ago

El guapo the game is run by elite maricons. I see this football dystopia where all you’ll see in the future is crumbling stadiums of great non elite clubs. It has too change. Salary caps etc no more fucking greed

6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

Good luck with that Ian.
Eanwhile back in reality…

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Meanwhile ‘

mike
6 years ago

The Auld alliance. La Celteec, Moussa, Olly, Odsonne.

La Marseillaise, La Marseillaise.
Aux armes, citoyens!
formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons!
Qu’un sang impur,
Abreuve nos sillons!

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  mike

Oh there you are, dummy back in is it?

mike
6 years ago

There they go,
marching doon the street,
the dumbest peepil,
you could ever meet.

HA HA, its the mankies,
The dumbest peepil around,
there the lost generation,
whose brains are left,
at the lost and found.

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  mike

Aw naw, just when things looked bleak… MEDS PLEASE, ANYTHING SPICY WILL DO!

6 years ago

Germans laughed at that mike. More than once

mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

Ello R U Herr Flic and Herr Flop, ve hiv waves of making yous Tic Toc!

Wisnae me
6 years ago

What are you people on about, the window is still open for players to leave for a few countries, notably Spain.

6 years ago
Reply to  Wisnae me

Then there are the free agents…

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

They needed to have been free before July not ones that’ve been placed on the scrapheap at the end of this window (much to the chagrin of Peter and the Austerity project).

Wisnae me
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Joey Barton? He covers Rob’s religious requirement.

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Wisnae me

Disgrace is back and I don’t mean the bookie man….

6 years ago
Reply to  Wisnae me

🙂 Quality

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Wisnae me

Are they Catholic?..

D J Smyth
6 years ago

Probably 95% and more Celtic supporters feel we are in a far better unrecognisable place than before Brendan arrived yet some sarcastically refer Brendan as the sainted one . That isn’t just insulting to Brendan & his family but the over 95% of us who go to Celtic matches now confidently we will win & we will be entertained .
Those of us who have proved that we know nothing about football have ranted non stop about us not signing a centre back in the transfer window . Although we have absolutely no idea how many centre halfs we tried to buy & we’re close to signing but for whatever reason we were not able . It could well be that BR didn’t put as much emphasis on new defenders as the non professionals on forums .
Brendan is very much involved in our recruitment process , as shown by his recent visit to Paris re new striker. He doesn’t rely on board & gets those he needs .
All we have to do is support Brendan & the players & we will have success on the pitch

6 years ago
Reply to  D J Smyth

Great Post.

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Pish.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Is that the run of the mill pish or a gold standard golden shower Monti pish?

Wisnae me
6 years ago
Reply to  D J Smyth

Agreed that we are mostly in the dark about what goes on behind the scenes, but am totally shocked that anyone could say we should ignore what’s going on, shut up and support [financially] our betters. That sounds more like what’s being pushed south of the river.

Rebus67
6 years ago
Reply to  D J Smyth

DJ,

I think we are blessed to have Brendan as our manager. I also agree that he is influencing our areas of the club for the better.

True we do not know how many CHs wete considered but the fact that he settled on a young inexperienced CH suggests that that is the type of player that he was considering.

Last season, we had considerable early season success playing a very experienced player at CH. toure steadied the ship until his legs won over his desire to play. At least one of our current CHs is going to leave in January, why not find some experience to replace(in advance) him? We found Simo, Eric and Boyata surely we could get one of at least their qualityif we spent at the 4-5 million level.? Most, if not all, of the outlay would be recouped in January through the sale of Simo.

We knew last season that one of Simo, Boyata, or Sviatchenko would be going. Plenty of time to isolate targets. The injury to Boyata made it more urgent.

Rebus

6 years ago

Caption
Brendan living dangerously taking risks yet still No1 and in pole position

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Top of the league?….

6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

I don’t look at a League table until 10 games in.
Pointless exercise 😉

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Thanks,I agree…..Yours Pedro……

alan
6 years ago

hang on. people who have been supporting celtic for decades are giving out that we are not improving the team from a position of strength.

its fucking laughable.

we have never done so since I started supporting (late 80s) and I do not expect us to start now.

we are a selling club, a situation which has been made much worse in the last decade.

I am delighted that we did not sell anyone important and we are going to have a tilt at the CL with a good manager.

we would all like to have bought more players but we can only afford so much in wages which hampers us all the time.

beware going the way of the hun.

6 years ago
Reply to  alan

100%
Buying success is the road to damnation.
What happened to bringing through our own and building a side?
Chris McCart anyone?

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Jamie’

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Weered,
CS prefers hiding sausages 🙂

6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

3.23am and he’s up typing about playing hide the sausage 😮

6 years ago

So you’re logic is we all shut up and have blind faith in the board and Brendan? Because we’re non professionals and have no idea. Tell you what, I don’t think there is a rat to be smelled yet, and to a point I agree. let the experts go about their business Yada yada. Though I think you fail to see that fans have got good insight into what’s going on, on the park at least. That’s why we need transparency , detailed information Ito the comings and goings of the club. It’s a non negotiable requirement to the people whose money the club relies upon.
Leaving non football people (the board) to their own devices can be deadly. Look what happened to Leeds and for a time Newcastle. If we are given a clue and not left in the dark, then we will stop feeling like mindless pawns expected to put up with crap

6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

Celtic Fc is currently worth £174m.
At no point in our illustrious history has our value been so great.
Meanwhile on the pitch it’s a Treble wining team going for 7 in a row and waiting to play 2 of the greatest sides on the planet in the Champions League.

UTTER FUCKIN SHAMBLES SO IT IS AYE…. 🙂

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Cool, so we have $$ for improvement. Nothing to worry about then. Listen Charlie our back line needs improved and you have just highlighted we have the means to do it. So what’s holding us back?

6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

What’s holding us back Ian?
Agents
Players Greed
An increasingly difficult domestic scene sales pitch
The fact the rich Clubs scoop up all the best talent
The fact we border the richest League on the planet

Just a few reasons as to why it’s difficult?
Not impossible just difficult.

Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Charlie, once again you quote the Marketization price of Celtic Plc as if it means anything.
The share price is not our clubs value. It means nothing whatsoever when push comes to shove as we don’t even have any share offerings to generate more cash to spend on God only knows what.

If that’s how you value our club, then you win Modern Celtic Football Fan of the Year.

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

Classi Desi, brimmer..

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  ROB O'KEEFFE

Modern being the operative word…

6 years ago
Reply to  Desi Mond

It’s the only valuation the Market has until someone actually steps up and wants to buy it outright.
The point is the Club has never been so wel off.
Nothing wrong with moving with the times beats sauntering about in Flares and a fucking tank top sporting a fucking mullet.

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

The other day you stated that the share price was £129 when it was in fact £1.29 so only a complete idiot would take an economic lesson from you.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

That was a typo Cha as well you know.
Only a pedantic twat would hold me to that.
I spent 3 years convincing an entire Forum we had debts of £18m outstanding to the Co-op when they were all screaming debt free at CFC so don’t give me your pish mate.

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

That Forums died now incidentally overrun by trolls in the end.

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Must’ve been but as I’d just received my dividend statement telling me I now had 35 new shares I thought I was rich.

Rich, I tell ye!

6 years ago

Not saying we are an utter shambles at all. Far from it, think there are some solid minds in the inner sanctum, my point is always ask questions. Be critical , if you think you have to be, there’s always room for improvement

6 years ago
Reply to  Iancelt67

My main question is when is the £12.4m we owe the Co-op going to get settled seeing as it’s due to be paid in full July 2019?
This is called forward planning for those who think money grows on trees in the Celtic Fc orchard at Lennoxtown.

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Dermot Desmond perhaps,if he feels inclined?….

6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

More soft loans?
Think you might have logged into the wrong Forum William 😉

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Could be a charitable type donation?…..

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

McNeill?Wallace? Both Williams,I believe…..careful…..way out there…..

Devoy45
6 years ago

McCart is fine by me. People were pleading with Brendan to get us in the CL. Now we’re there with our small budget and less than superstar lineup. Enjoy it. Just fuckin enjoy it, whatever happens. There may be some surprises in store. What can big bucks buy? Cunts like Neymar and Saurez? Our team, when fit, is solid and will bloody a few CL noses. That’s the real joy in supporting our club. It suits people of Irish background to be the underdogs, which doesn’t happen when we play Killie or Motherwell. I’m happy as Larry and my uncle Larry was never so happy when seeing football played the Celtic way. He would have been chuffed to see this team in action because he had seen worse, so much worse, as we all have. C’mon the Celtic. Hail, hail….
Championees, here there and everywhere!
Nurse? I can take my own fuckin meds thank you.

jimmybee
6 years ago
Reply to  Devoy45

Well said m8 it is a great time to be a Celt.
The suffering of the cheating years still scars me today. Lets celebrate the here and now.
We are in the champions league, undefeated in the league and a team of promise mot seen since the quality street kids.
A centre back would have been nice important even in the champions league front but it is what it is.
Lets enjoy the talents that are here the now.
Who knows that special Celtic magic on european nights could upset the odds.we might just be a surprise package. HH

6 years ago
Reply to  jimmybee

Optimism will it ever truly catch on?
Well said Jimmy
HH

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Talent and skill usually beats a bit of optimism…..in a team,it will.

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Tell that to Tito Vilanova in 2012…

6 years ago
Reply to  Devoy45

I’ll have some of what he’s having ^

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Sorry,I admit I don’t understand your point about Vilanova….

6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

His team had all the talent and skill a Manager could hope for in a side Neil Lennon had a team who had a belief that they could match them with courage and endeavour.
Had they approached that game in a pessimistic frame of mind we would have been battered.
A wonderful thing happened that night as a result.
It is my belief that Brendan Rodgers approaches games with an optimistic mindset no matter who we play or how good they are?
Jimmys post was optimistic I appreciate that type of approach.
HH

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

We can’t match PSG or Bayern for skill Rob so we have to more than match them with effort and a collective will to win.
Teamwork can overcome seemingly impossible situations.

Leicester City.

mike
6 years ago

Remember not so long ago, high in the hills near Mehico, we were managed, cough splutter by the man from Norway, now THAT was summit to moan about, confirmed by non attendances.
Now we are managed by a brilliant manager and his team, two years qualification into the C.L. with a few games to see against the cream of the fitba. World, who are heavily subsidised. An unbeaten league campaign, despite the rigours of European travel. The team are improving year on year, a new pitch laid, a new hotel coming to Cellic park that will only help with our far travelled supporters, which will divert funds, but must surely be a long term benefit to the club. If you look for faults you will certainly find them.

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  mike

Charlie Saiz, Ralph and the Happy Clappers weren’t moaning.

Just saying.

mike
6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

The happy CHA CHA CHAPPERS. Voulez-Vous AH HA.

Viva les Blous, eh Verrt eh Turquoise. Just singing!
The Dermotolagist is the biggest Destimoaner oan here.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

The team are improving year on year…. Soooooo let’s all have a good moan about it!
I remember a time when winning 4 games in a month was cause for a major celebration as a Celtic fan.
Changed days it would seem?
I guess that’s the downside to year on year success?

53 games and counting since I had a proper moan 😉

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

That probably sums it up; you see that it was worse previously therefore you’re contended whereas others see it can be better in the future and agitate for this.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Agitate all you want te Club will do what’s right for the Club.
The Club is in a good place enjoy it whilst it lasts.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

I look back to Brendan’s signing last year and my hopes then were surpassed a year later.
Things have improved markedly in such a short space of time.
Yes more can always be done but you are right I am content with the results so far?
Getting into the Champions League was priority no 1
Keeping our squad intact was priority no 2
The next priority i to attain 3rd spot and have European football after Christmas?
It is my belief we can achieve this with the squad we have.
Europa League is the level we are at at present in my opinion and it will take another year or so before we are a competitive Champions League level side.
I have the patience for this.
Some don’t I get that.
HH

ROB O'KEEFFE
6 years ago
Reply to  mike

He was meant to come in as assistant and because Keane knocked back the job, he was thrown in at the deep end, he knew it but couldn’t turn it down and still loves Celtic hence the reason for telling Rosenburg to GTF when they wanted info on us….

mike
6 years ago

Moving on, I failed my entry exam into CQN they thought I was daft, to daft for them, downsizing to my sons house, we are swapping, when I moved here 9 years ago both mums died 2/3 months before, so three houses worth of craft (shite) to move, plus harvesting intermittently between the showers. Should be finished in a couple of weeks.

mike
6 years ago
Reply to  mike

Likewise but where is de mahn from Delmonti?

6 years ago
Reply to  mike

Spring cleaning under his bridge 😉

bgbhoy
6 years ago
Reply to  mike

hellooo mike

mike
6 years ago
Reply to  mike

hellooo to you senor, hope you and the family are well, watch oot fur yer faither, they tell me that he has been eating fast and furiously in between scoffing pints of gin. hic.
back oot, awrabest!

mike
6 years ago
Reply to  mike

Yes —- also red clover silage. The wee white woollies love it, oh they just cant get enough.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  mike

Weered,
No…just plasma tv’s

Chrissybhoy
6 years ago

Caption : The Robbie Fowler coke snorting championship gets underway

6 years ago

Right that’s me done defending the Club.
The window is shut it is what it is and we go forward into the unknown with a couple of decent prospects on the books.
We can all argue till the cows come home but the fact remains it changes hee haw.
I’m going to enjoy the Season ahead now the difficult bit is behind us.
God bless the Celtic
HH

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Only if the club and company are the same thing.

To want to improve, to get better etc isn’t attacking the club and simply defending the status quo when there’s an opportunity to kick on, isn’t wrong.

Agreed about the rest and after a few doses of liquid medication before the PSG I’ll be believing that that we’ll win easily, Neymer and the rest are crap etc.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

I want what you want Cha I just think I’m being a wee bit more realistic given the current climate in Football.

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Don’t tell Wisnae(disgrace) about God……

Wisnae me
6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

I thought your mob were all about telling people about god?

We are where we are. If our defenders come back fit and stay that way for the season then all our whining about the lack of defensive cover will look silly, if we have another crisis and it costs us… It’s a small gamble in the grand scheme of things, it won’t cost us the league, but could cost us a bad result in Europe or one of the cups.

bgbhoy
6 years ago

are celtic stronger than this time last year?

are celtic in the ucl 2 years in a row?

are we unbeaten in 18 months?

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

No.

Yes.

No.

bgbhoy
6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

really? so weve lost quality and not replaced it?

domestically? sorry 15 months is it?

we will be judged in Europe? against a side who has pent 400milllion??

aye ok

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

No fit central defenders and not addressed severely weakens us.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Yes agreed but only for a few weeks of the Season.
Yo can base your entire season on 6 games you may or may not lose there is a long term plan with Brendan that’s why he signed a 4 year deal.
A four year deal that will cost us the best part of £10m.

6 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

Yes
Yes
Domestically Yes

bgbhoy
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

so people acknowledge we cant go out and get a 10 million pound player to the league… but yet want us to sign players that MIGHT become a big player? when we have a squad that is tried and tested? and negotiated 2 banana skin ties in Europe?

are we never going to be happy?

will all our defenders be injured again at same time?

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

Bgbhoy,
Pish 😉

6 years ago

Brendan signed a 4 year Contract btw.
Probably our best signing in 20 years.
Wonder how much he gets a year?

Rebus67
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Charlie,

Is it 2.25-2.50 p.a?

Well worth it, just for the increased value he has added to some players.

Rebus

6 years ago
Reply to  Rebus67

So in effect Celtic just signed over £8-10m in wages to Brendan alone.
That’s without even talking about the rest of the signings and Roberts wages pus Loan fees?

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Then there’s the £12.4m due in under 2 years…

6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Couple the £12.4m due to the Co-Op with Brendan’s 4 year deal then that’s the best part of £16m Accounted in the next 2 years alone.
We had £18.5m in the bank in Dec 😉
That’s without going into the Roberts deal and the rest of the signings including Ntcham.

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Would prefer 3 Henrik Larssons……

rebus67
6 years ago

Was the transfer window a success? Being Canadian I can see both sides of the argument! Are we stronger than last season? Yes, I believe we are …through the acquisition of NtCham and re-acquiring Roberts means we have not gone backwards in that position. Benyu and Hayes so far have not contributing to upping the quality but they will be useful as squad players. The problem area is at CH and it is here that the argument that we are, in fact, weaker, rears its head.
Look at the background to the CH situation. Boyata was injured on July 5 and is predicted to be out until Oct 5. Last season he was, if not the prime CB, he was a key part of the centre of defence. He has a history of injuries: in season 15/16 he was out for 224 days. Prior to that, he also had injuries. His record, is, of course, why we got him so cheaply. Simonovic…we know has glass knees and his appearances have to be managed. Remember the farce when he first arrived? He was injured. Possibly it is the club’s knowledge of this situation that led it not to take a chance on Coetzee. Eric also has an injury history: currently he is scheduled to out from August 3 to Sept 15(43 days). In season 14/15 he was out for 110 days, AND in season 10/11 he lost 273 days due to cruciate ligament problems. So there you have it…we have three vulnerable CBs, irrespective of their quality. What do we have as backup? We have a promising Ajer, who is being converted to the position, a declining RB who can play CH, and a midfielder who has been drafted into the position on a temporary basis.
Against this background, why was the CH position not regarded as a priority, even if not the prime priority? In all likelihood we shall not get any points versus BM and PSG but our only hope of doing so is to limit how many they score against us. We are not going to score 3 or 4 against teams of that quality. So going into those games with a weakened defence is spinning loaded dice. The games against Anderlecht will determine whether we stay in Europe and those games will indicate whether we have progressed from last season. Will Boyata and Sviatchenko be both fit and match tested in time for these games? I doubt it. Whether we progress in Europe or not we should have brought in an experienced, steady CH to, both, give us a fighting chance this season, and to allow the inevitable departures at that position that are going to happen in January. In this sense the window was not a success.
Rebus

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  rebus67

Thanks for the great info re our central defenders current and historical injury records.

As we only have a game on the plastic pitch at Hamilton before PSG game then it looks like the only fit one for that game will be Jozo (assuming he’s suffering nothing more than an incredible sulk :)) but will he be risked for that and if not then it’ll be almost a month before his last game (Astana at home).

It sounds like Boyata won’t be fit for the crucial game at Anderlecht but Erik should be back and hopefully they don’t have nippy forwards to expose his lack of pace.

I agree that we should’ve invested in this area and, if by some bizarre fluke, we end up with 4/5 injury free proper defenders then we can afford to carry this and look to offload surplus later from a position of strength.

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Boyata was back in training last week.
Not sure how advanced it is mind just in case you were unaware?

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

It’s when he’s on the park and up to full match fitness that counts.

We only have plastic game against Hamilton before PSG so unlikely to make this and Anderlecht will be dependent on when he gets back on pitch.

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  rebus67

Rebus,being Canadian?Maybe drink it but you’re from Embra,you’ll have had your tea,not very good football teams place and World Class trams….

6 years ago

Aye but all that aside ^( The entire comments section)

IMAGINE BEING A HUN RIGHT NOW 😉

HH

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

“Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today.”

Imagine being a hun? Nah, I can’t imagine that!

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

We’re at odds for Celtic not spending the millions for the Champions League nights whilst they’re at odds about Eastenders or Coronation Street on a Champions League night 🙂 🙂 🙂

GIRFUYs

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

How do you know what being an Arlene Foster groupie is like?

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Sash told him….

6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Again don’t knock it till you’ve tried it big bhoy x 😉 x
What a bout ye 😉

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

I blame the initiation ceremonies,then the World Class “training”……..mind your feet…..

The Cha
6 years ago
Reply to  The Cha
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