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Celtic Diary Friday August 9: Tierney: Disappointing, But Not Surprising

Knock knock

Who’s there ?

Keiran Tierney

Who?

As it was with Dalglish and many others throughout the years, we’ll get over it. There will be new heroes, and some of them will even stay longer than a couple of years.

There has been a plethora of opinions on the interweb, and supporters still seem bewildered that the man who professed his love for the club so often upped sticks and left the first time the club received an offer for him.

It’s not the first time.

Around the time of the  Slavia Prague friendly just over a year ago he was told about an offer from Everton, and to the clubs surprise, he accepted it. He was talked out of it by Brendan Rodgers and Peter Lawwell, but the seed had been planted.

Put simply, he wanted away.

There is speculation as to why he wanted away, given that he was “one of us “, but I’d tend to believe the lad himself when he said;

When I was younger, it was always Celtic. The ambition was Celtic and that was my dream when I was younger. But when you get older… I’ve done that, I’ve made my dream, I’ve lived my dream and I’ve loved every single minute of it.

Not many people get to live their dream, let alone have a chance for another one.

If he had come out and said that earlier, he would have gained more understanding and respect from the support.

With the money on offer, and the chance to test himself against a higher quality of player, it was unlikely that he would refuse a second offer.

The club held out for what they wanted, and got it.

The player got his move.

And that’s that, really.

Except…there’s a nagging doubt in my mind , and its telling me we’ve all been strung along a bit.

Arsenal made their intentions clear some time ago. Tierney had decided that was where he wanted to go, which is evident when you consider there was not one offer from anywhere else.

As they knew that, they bid low, then they offered instalments.

You can’t blame them, and credit has to go to Celtic for holding out for what they wanted.

Tierney again;

It was the hardest decision in my whole life that I’ve had to make. 

As hard as the one last year ?

His mind was made up a long time ago, so much so, that if you recall, he said his goodbyes to his team mates at the Austrian training camp.

It may also be that the two clubs agreed not to announce it until the last possible moment, so as not to distract from the UCL qualifying campaign.

Before you judge him as a rat, a snake or anything else, ask yourself what you would have done in his shoes, bit also consider this….

At Celtic he was on around £25,000 a week. At Arsenal he will be earning three times that , plus bonuses, plus a signing on fee, and more than likely a loyalty bonus should he see out his contract.

To the average supporter, both figures are unimaginable amounts of money, so for us it’s maybe difficult to understand the difference.

To a young man who is no stranger to injury, possibly even career threatening, its a huge leap in income.

Everyday at Celtic, he would encounter John Kennedy, a testament to career ending injury.

That would have been at the back of his mind.

As would the money earned by former team mates who have already headed south.

There isn’t a single one of us, no matter how much we profess to be a supporter, who would not have done the same.

His financial advisors would have told him to take the deal, as it may not happen again.

Former manager Brendan Rodgers, in his time at Celtic, would have explained to all of his players that they only have a certain period in their careers to make the money that will take care of them, their families and anyone else they want to.

Indeed, his family would be more concerned about his health, and the possibility of long term injury, not only keeping him out of football, but possibly even unable to work.

We can be disappointed that he’s gone, after all, he was a great player. But a legend ?

Nah, we didn’t have him for long enough for him to be that.

We never even got the chance to thank him, something that he doesn’t seem to regret, which is a shame, and that, more than anything else is why there is a fair bit of anger around when his name is mentioned.

That and his bloody megaphone, that is. Maybe thats why he is being likened to Brendan Rodgers.

Thats unfair, as Tierney clearly has a genuine affection for the club, whereas Rodgers used it for his own ends.

And anyway, there’s only one real rat in our history, and that was Johnston.

 

There are a number of positives to come from all of this, however, which might not seem positives just now, but they will.

Whether we like it or not, Celtic is not an attractive proposition to put to top players.

The league is lowly ranked in Europe, and there’s very little money around to match the wages on offer down south.

However, young and ambitious players will see that working your way up at Celtic can be the gateway to making it to the very top, financially speaking, and so the club must use that when trying to persuade them to join Celtic.

Academy players can see that if they put the work in, the rewards are there, because Celtic will give you a chance.

Of course, conversely, they will see what a fickle bunch we are when “one of our own ” leaves, but we’ll get over it.

We have to. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last.

We wish him well, and who knows, maybe when he’s still only 27, having run down his contract in London, we’ll get him back.

If someone asks, tell them we’ve sent him out on loan, for five years, at £5m a year.

In the meantime, there’s a league to win.

Lets love the ones we’re with.

 

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TicToc
4 years ago

Great Diary on Keiran and I agree with the majority of it.
He was a very special, very exciting player to watch and just oozed class as well as commitment and steel. I’m just so sorry he’s gone but thanks for some wonderful moments, young fella.
You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Hail! Hail! and Good Luck for the future.

Jbhoy
4 years ago

Agree with all points Ralph. Hope that there will be reinvestment in the club – the academy and new talent. Kieran has left a mostly positive legacy and shows what can be achieved by our Scots kids with hard work and commitment. That said I hate it that we are no longer a top club for ambitious players but thats due more to geography rather than anything we can do. So good luck to him, i hope he does well so our reputation for identifying and developing talent continues…and that we get a few more Broonies, Larssons and Forrests as well.

Fra Stone
4 years ago

think you caught the mood exactly a chara, players come and go, the club remains, the badge on the front is always bigger than the name on the back

Hail Hail

CarlJungleBhoy
4 years ago

Good stuff Ralph! Your thoughts just about mirror mine. IMHO he doesn’t deserve some of the OTT bile being thrown at him. He should have made his long term career aims clearer & a lot earlier, but he’s a young guy and we all make mistakes. I for one believe he genuinely loves Celtic as much as the next fan. I bear him no grudge and wish him well!

Dan
4 years ago

Unauthorised use of logic. In my view spot on for the most part. Not sure I am ever keen on anyone coming back. Better you think that it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to play for Celtic, and when you go you go. But well said nonetheless.

Dziekanowski's nightclub child
4 years ago

Good luck to him, I’m sorry to see him go, I reckon another couple of years would have been perfect but he has to think about potential recurring injuries that could curtail his career. Onward and upward towards 9 and 10, life goes on. £25M would pay for that hotel and the rotating screen… just saying!

Andy
4 years ago

Seen them all come and go, Dalglish, Nicholas, and now Tierney. Hard to take at the time but we always get over it and the club will find new heroes. Best of luck Kieran

jpm 88
4 years ago
Reply to  Andy

Andy,

in fairness , Dalglish is a bit different to the other 2 ; they ( Nicholas & Tierney ) were Celtic boys yet both gone by 21 ( Nich) and 22 ( Tierney though Ralph alludes to his wishing to go at just turned 21 ).

Dalglish was 26 and five months old when he left so gave us 4 /5 more years than the other 2 ; also worth remembering , Dalglish , a Rangers boy , had intended leaving 75 ( still 2/3 years longer than others ) but due to Stein’s accident on top of McNeill’s retirement , felt the club needed him so stayed and along with Danny McGrain carried Celtic for 2 years .
Suppose a bit ironic that it was the non Celtic boy who didn’t kiss the badge nor cheerlead the Jungle , ( not that we needed a cheerleader 😉 – who gave us the longest and more loyal service .

Mike
4 years ago

Yes, As long as the money raised by his transfer is spent on the right players and not wasted on shitey ones of the cheap cheap variety. C’mon we have seen how this has played out before. before K.T. left the biscuit tin could not close properly with well over £25.00 million pounds,left in it after the Brendan Rodgers managerial money of £9.00 mill. The Virgil Van Djik sell on money of around £6.00 mill. not to mention the £19.7 Moussa money or the Stuart Armstrong £7.00 mill. money. That’s £50.00 million btw AFTER the new signings have been paid. Porky Pies from the board, could buy the whole of the players in the SPFL. Get it spent and spend it wisely with none of the penny pinching pish that we usually witness.

DJ Smyth
4 years ago

We don’t keep players against their will, if only Tierney hadn’t been so forceful in forcing down our throats the wonderful Celtic person he was . He told us that youngsters dreamt about playing in EPL , but he dreamt in playing for Celtic .
We marked him down for been with Celtic for 10 in a row . We were foolish & wrong . Just as Rodgers put 8 in a row in jeopardy, Tierney has made Lennon’s job of getting 9 in a row much harder . It’s not just his football ability we will miss , but also “his so called Celticness in the dressing room ,on training ground , but on the coach “ We miss you Tierney too more years wouldn’t have hurt you .

Gerard Reilly
4 years ago
Reply to  DJ Smyth

Spot on sir you can.t bum you.re 100% CELTIC then engineer a money driven move which I reckon was being prepared when the leprechaun hit the EPL trap door hatch….this saga was likely done and dusted from tierney and his pension pot agent but flogged it out to try and fool hoops fans by his 100% silence since the media hit the news

BJF
4 years ago

DJ agreed with your comments yesterday but disagree today. The league will not be won or lost from left back in my view.
The problem isn’t Celtic the club it’s the league if we were in the Premiership, or La Liga or Serie A the issue would be less and we could pay more because of tv rights. That said the current Arsenal captain headed off having made his pile and fir Neymar he chose the money rather than the quality and look how that turned out. As I said just on yesterday’s blog seconds before Ralph did the sneaky and put this one out Calmac would be a bigger loss to our team. We will get over KT and new heroes will emerge, it would be good if some came from within the club but we need to invest, this will be our hardest season in a very long time.

Drew
4 years ago

Very good diary today and spot on I wish him well and I hope he has a great time in front of him,I will also say this to young Keiran remember you learned your trade at Celtic so show the world how good you are and that will reflect on the club you say you love,and I now know why I feel so down and that’s because we never got to say good bye the love was both ways make us proud of you.

Brencelt
4 years ago

Good tone to thie piece Ralph. He’s served Celtic well. Celtic got very good money for the bhoy. He only interested me because he played for Celtic, good luck to Kieran Tierney, he’s gone. He’s history.
Celtic need to concentrate on the 9IAR/10IAR and strenghten the squad immediately.
Here we go 9IAR / 10IAR

Devoy45
4 years ago

Has Lenny already decided Perez and Gutman aren’t good enough for Celtic? And Bayo too? He’s also saying we need two more wingers left and right (see today’s press)? Really?. FFS we have Forrest, Shved and Morgan on the right and Sinclar, Johnston and Hayes on the left. Wingers is what we don’t need. Allowing Sinclair to move is a big mistake too.
Tomorrow at Motherwell.
Bain
Elhamed/Ajer/Julienne/McGregor
Brown/Ntcham
Forrest/Christie/SINCLAIR
Griff
3-1 to the Bhoys
It’s better not to spend then to spend badly. Buying 5 players to find one good one isn’t how we should do it.

Monti
4 years ago

See this ” we would all have done the same ” pish, i don’t fkn agree, it’s all fkn pish & so is this pish about KT going to Everton!
I don’t give two fks about money, Celtic is everything & it’s being diluted by greedy noel hunts who are chasing the fkn money, it’s all it fkn is money, money fkn this, that & back to fkn this again, i don’t give a fuck who believes me or not, i would NOT leave Celtic for money!
Two seasons to go & he wanted out, no fkn different than Rodgers, both of them can fuck off, keep fucking off until they get back here then fuck off again.
What about the supporters? What about our fkn dreams?
Two more seasons & he can’t stay for the ten?

Fk it, it fucking hurts & i’m pissed fkn off!

P.S. stick your fkn billboard up your fucking arse Lawwell!

Bob
4 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Fuckin spot on! Well said

DJ Smyth
4 years ago
Reply to  Monti

I agree Monti , K T was on good money at Celtic , another two yrs at the money he was earning wasn’t going to leave him buried in a pauper’s grave . Most university students are running up debts of over £20,000 per yr ,a small amount to uni for fees , a fair amount for a bed & a very big amount on alcohol . They can still recover and become high earners & rather rich leading lights in society .
So Keiran & his fellow footballers without a brain between them , think 22 yrs old , idolised by thousands , playing against top European Footballers &earning £25k per week is holding back his development . God help us

Mike
4 years ago

Mon the Biscuit Tin F.C. Its a throw out from the B.T. keeper, to the B.T. right back, a quick forward pass to the B.T. right midfielder, he passes to the B.T. outside right, he twists away from the opposition and hits a curved pass to the B.T. centre-forward, he shoots he scores GOAL, its his hat trick, yah beauty Biscuit Tin F.C. are second top of the league…

Wth
4 years ago

Badge kissing traitor . See to feck the stupid green brigade and their trot leadership.

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Wth

Wth,
The Green Brigade aren’t stupid…..but you are thick as fk!

Markspur
4 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Well put, Monti. Has anybody told the blue-noses their club is dead? COYBIG!

Mike A
4 years ago

Got d piece Ralph, well analysed and balanced. Still the haters come fourth but they’re immune to reason and will always hate. Never doubt KT’s commitment, never forget that smashed up face rushing back from hospital to be with the Bhoy to hold up the cup. That’s more than a badge kisser. He gave us many good memories, thanks and good luck down South. At least he won’t have refs allowing open season on him. Time to move on and don’t be bitter.

Monti
4 years ago

Look look at the billboard…..can i get a selfy next to the big billboard??

It’s big eh? Wooo woooo fkn wooo

Sean67
4 years ago

See all youse haters…fek ye’s…that’s a Celtic Bhoy tae the bone…Kieren, dinnae tek any notice ae they pr1cks…ye’re awways welcome haim son…best ae luck an make us proud. YNWA.

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Sean67

I hear you like a bone…

Monti
4 years ago

” Get your hat’s, scarves badges & macar….err look at the billboard ”

( * )
ll ll

Monti
4 years ago

” He dreamt to play for Arsenal, ever since he was a boy,
Signed at 22, his heart was filled with joy,
Now he’s in their first team, his dream is all come true,
Fuck your ten in a row, i’m money through & through,
Kieran Tierney, Kieran Tierney, Kieran Tierney.

Paddybhoy67
4 years ago

We’re fickle too … look back at some of the comments about Lustig – a legend imho – being past it last season. Loyalty is a premium virtue and not in great supply. I actually spoke to Paul Mcstay not long after he didn’t get the youth coach job back in 1999 or thereabouts. I said I thought he was shoe-in for the role, he said “Me too.”

Doc
4 years ago

Ralph, your talking us down so much, are you applying for a job at the record?

Almost every professional worker in Scotland will have been offered substantially more money to move abroad or down south and plenty stay for many reasons whether it’s family, friends, a woman. A lot of guys will do a few years abroad to pay off house, car, etc. but Tierney already has more than enough for that already.

£25k a week has put Tierney in top 0.1% of earners in the UK. To say that amount isn’t enough is insulting as he earns more than 99.9% of people. He was already on ‘set-for-life’ money, going after more is just pure greed.

Whether its a megaphone or made up McGrain stories, he’s left, as Rodgers did, at an absolutely vital time for Celtic. If you know the history indeed.

I’m done with him, to me he is a mercenary, the same as Nicholas, Rodgers or Walker, leaving at a huge time for greed, while pretending it’s ambition.

And lastly, thanks Tierney. Thanks for your loyalty. Thanks for helping us improve in Europe. Thanks for helping us win our landmark ninth and tenth titles in a row. Thanks for being there when we need you. Thanks for being ‘one of us’. Thanks, a real Celtic man.

Sfa unfit fot purpose
4 years ago

Usual pish from our board. The KT deal has been done for weeks. There was no release clause. Why do this board continue to treat the fans like this. And why are we not protecting our best players and our best assets with real release clauses. If a player might be worth 30mil you put a 60 mil release clause in. 25mil is chunp change to any EPL club Chelsea spent 35mil on drinkwater gave him 100grand a week for 2 years and he played 5 games. Our board are really starting to take the piss. I wish KT well but 25mil for him is crap money and worse still that again we weaken a team when we should be strengthening it. CELTIC board groundhog day

ace
4 years ago

Especially good points about the injuries – could one of the factors adding to this be he knows he won’t get assaulted on the pitch in the EPL with anything like the frequency Scottish referees allow?

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  ace

ace,
Are you the character’ 8 Ace ‘ from Viz mag?

You sound like you have had 8 cans.

Sfa unfit fot purpose
4 years ago

Also I think there maybe another side to this. KT has seen what happened to Lennon, bombs and bullets, being assaulted live on TV only for the police and fiscal ensuring the guy gets let off. If I were part of KTs immediate family, or any other home bred player I would maybe be a bit anxious about what might happen over the course of the next 2 years. Bad enough that the refs will let someone maim you on the field, but when police and judiciary are also seen to be against you that might make a tough decision to leave a bit easier to make. Just a thought.

Monti
4 years ago

Sfa,
Are you in a padded cell?

Puggy67
4 years ago

Fuck sake he’s off and there is a game on Saturday against a team we’ve struggled against – let the real Neil Lennon team stand up!

Gerard Reilly
4 years ago

Agree with this post 100%

BJF
4 years ago

Mike A spot on, Rodgers surprised me because I could see from his point of view that he would benefit from 10 in a row. UK wide how many players are spoken off as much as Nick Stein, if a manager achieves that sort of success his memory outlasts even the greatest players but 10 iar isn’t the European Cup. Tierney was bound to leave, didn’t have to be this season but new heroes will emerge, I am certain about that. Paddybhoy is right about the moaning about Lustig, yet as soon as went it was like he was too good to go. Fickle. I see Lenny
rightly says he won’t spend the Tierney money foolishly, see who’s eft standing when Motherwell and Hearts give us a kicking over the next couple of weeks.

BJF
4 years ago

Jock Stein

Cartvale88
4 years ago

The pathetic fan tha criticises players when they have done their best for the club, Jamsie and Lustig permanently run down. Ntcham and Eddie lazy, KT a turncoat.
Football is a short career, even shorter when thugs in Scotland try to kick the shit out of u, KT has done the right thing for KT, not for Celtic, but he is a true fan.
Brenda was all bluster and by leaving could have cost us eight in a row,
Maybe if the brought Roberts back he migh have stayed, but jus enjoy the memories as we roll onto ten in a row

sfa unfit for purpose
4 years ago

comment in moderation ???

sfa unfit for purpose
4 years ago

Also I think there maybe another side to this. KT has seen what happened to Lennon, bombs and bullets, being assaulted live on TV only for the police and fiscal ensuring the guy gets let off. If I were part of KTs immediate family, or any other home bred player I would maybe be a bit anxious about what might happen over the course of the next 2 years. Bad enough that the refs will let someone maim you on the field, but when police and judiciary are also seen to be against you that might make a tough decision to leave a bit easier to make. Just a thought.

sfa unfit for purpose
4 years ago

Usual pish from our board. The KT deal has been done for weeks. There was no release clause. Why do this board continue to treat the fans like this. And why are we not protecting our best players and our best assets with real release clauses. If a player might be worth 30mil you put a 60 mil release clause in. 25mil is chunp change to any EPL club Chelsea spent 35mil on drinkwater gave him 100grand a week for 2 years and he played 5 games. Our board are really starting to take the piss. I wish KT well but 25mil for him is crap money and worse still that again we weaken a team when we should be strengthening it. CELTIC board groundhog day

Puggy67
4 years ago

Leigh was asked about a sanity clause but he said he didn’t believe in him.

Devoy45
4 years ago

Kieran Tierney did us proud and he has every right to get paid more for what he does so well. Good luck young man; most of us Celtic supporters wish you well. Give it your best shot.Coupla things: I’m surprised Arsenal paid so much for someone who hasn’t been match fit for several months and who has yet to make a comeback. It did prove we can win without KT. Like many of you, I think he is worth more than 25 million.

The Cha
4 years ago

tierney of the arsenal it is then and plenty of our fans seem happy about that.

jpm 88
4 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

The Cha

“seen it , done it , time to move on ” at 21/22 ; thank God the Lions didn’t think like that or we’d have been needing a whole new team for the 67-68 season 🙂

The Cha
4 years ago
Reply to  jpm 88

Yep and not only did the “non-Celtic” Dalglish give us the most, he was abused massively anytime he returned.

Compare “great” Celtic men like Macari and Hay, who didn’t stay around nearly as long but left professing their love of the club and were warmly received on any return.

We talk about Huns being easily fooled but there are plenty in our support.

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Idiot^

The Cha
4 years ago

I see we’ve effectively signed a £20-30m a player by “beating off” interest in McGregor, as reported by…Celtic.

There’s yer tea.

Green squirrels just like blue ones.

TicToc
4 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Cracking comment Cha! The Board has always treated us like shit and always will unless we rebel in droves and refuse to let Res 12 die and also ensure the huns are called out for the zombies they are. The Board’s ‘support’ is purely for the enrichment of themselves and a fucking already-billionaire, substantial owner. They care as much for our supporters as they do for the PLC’s employees and that’s not very much. Minimum wage etc.
Some say there’s always a solution……I wish TF I knew what it was for the long term. Supporter-ownership of course, it’s just that wee problem of implementation…..against all odds.
HH

Benjamin Lynch
4 years ago

One thing to note on the financial side of this. If KT was on £25k/wk at Celtic and will be getting 3x that at Arsenal, that means the total value of his 5 year earnings (assuming the £25k at Celtic wouldn’t have increased along the way) is £19.5m at Arsenal vs £6.5m at Celtic. This move was worth £13m to KT financially speaking over the next 5 years. And the thing is, if he does well at Arsenal, he’ll be much more coveted by the likes of those in Manchester, Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Turin, Rome, Paris, and elsewhere to a level that he just wouldn’t with the same accomplishments playing for Celtic. The world’s best clubs, rightly or wrongly, don’t value standout performances against teams who’s annual turnover will be less than what KT himself will be making with this deal. Hamilton, ICT, Motherwell, Dundee, etc aren’t considered reasonable proxies for how he would perform against clubs in English, Spanish, German, Italian, or French leagues. Anyway… he’ll be 27 when this deal is done. At that point, assuming his hips haven’t totally self-destructed, he’ll be in a much better position to get a £100k+/wk contract. Or… if he decides he’s made enough money and the heartstrings start pulling, he could come back to Celtic for the love of the club, and it wouldn’t cost us a dime. Time will tell how his career unfolds, but I certainly don’t feel any animosity toward him whatsoever. If someone were to offer my 22YO self £19.5m over the next 5 years of my life, I would have absolutely taken the money. Especially if I had the injury history that KT has had the last few years. Careers are short, and there’s no guaranteeing he’ll even be well enough to play (or walk!) for the duration of this contract.

Yoker Bhoy
4 years ago

All I have to say about the Kieran Tierney saga is: Best of luck in the future son, you’ve done some great things for Celtic and I thank you for that but now we move on. We’re going to enjoy 10IAR and competing in the CL without you. There will definitely be some new signings to look forward to, I just hope we get the right players in, i.e. ready made pros, no projects or journeymen.

HH

rebus67
4 years ago

Hello Everyone,

I hope you will not mind an absentee throwing in a couple of thoughts about the KT transfer.

I think his social media statement summed it up perfectly.

When he was a lad his ambition was to play regularly for the Celtic first team. Then it was to win for Celtic. He did this and his commitment was clear.

Having won everything for three seasons, his horizons broadened as did his ambitions. England was a new challenge for him. I think the money was secondary, it was the challenge that mattered to him. If he hits the heights there he will look towards Spain, Italy or Germany for his next challenge.

Nothing wrong with that.

Like it or not, there are teams that are bigger than Celtic and there are leagues that are superior to the SPL. Was it Henrik who said he could not face another visit to Fir Park?

Let Keiran go with our best wishes. He is an ambassador for the club and its youth system.

Rebus

Una
4 years ago

Caption

Brendan Rodgers is a prick

Brian (not the messiah)
4 years ago

Rebus there is no bigger team than celtic!!! There are better leagues and more money.
Having said that…25m for a player who has played a few seasons against poor opposition and has had a hell of a lot of injuries including a worrying pubis problem seems pragmatic IF it will be used to strengthen

rebus67
4 years ago

For you and I, there is no greater team than Celtic, but we are not professional footballers with ambitions to play against the best.

I have only good memories of KT.

I agree the money has to be spent on the player pool. No excuses!

Rebus

4 years ago

K T gave a interview near the end of last season,he said he was IN pain every minute of every hour of every day and lennon was still playing him even though he couldn.t last a full game,euen if it dhdn,t make him worse it didn,t help him ,just imaGINE the treatment of hIM if he stayed for the Ten,maybe some serious damage as the refs wouldn,t help nor his manager or club,can,t blame him,pure gutted but he is better out of this horrible wee country,C O Y B I G

Mahe
4 years ago

Money is the root of all evil and not all worship at that altar.
Recently our Captain turned down a very very good offer. He clearly isn’t that concerned with the bank account. Keano also joined us when he could have earned much more elsewhere. Henke refused better money to stay.
You’re forgetting we are talking about multi multi millionaires. They already have made for life money.
Blame money but I certainly don’t.
Hail Hail

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Mahe

Mahe,
How are you m8?
This one is a bit sore to take, it’s not just the fact that the team has been weakned with Kieran going, he makes such a difference to the side when he’s fit & playing, both in defence & attack.
The team is my priority & it has been weakned, add into that mix a complete distrust of this board to go out & buy a top quality replacement.
I think that is winding me up more than anything else, i don’t trust or expect them to seriously strengthen.
I guarantee if the English teams had another week of the transfer window to go, we would probably try to punt Forrest & McGregor.
The strategy of the club may work financially may well work but where it fails is when you din’t replace with real quality, swiftly.
I am gutted though, i’m gutted everytime we lose our better players.

HH

Weetim67
4 years ago

Thanks KT, good luck.

4 years ago

Well said Ralph. A fair and fitting tribute to KT. He earned our respect as a player and we should allow him to leave with honour intact. You summed up the feeling of most fair-minded fans with your thoughtful and well balanced comments.Lets make sure he feels welcome the next time we play Arsenal, which will surely happen !

Cole Burns
4 years ago

I think London is the attraction more than Arsenal. His head will have been turned watching The Ritz.

Yoker Bhoy
4 years ago

Fir Park has often been a very tricky away venue for us and in fact we only came away with a draw on our last three visits there. The steelmen have started their season quite well with no slip-ups (a total of 0 goals conceded) in their league cup qualifying group while their defence also held firm on that shit plastic pitch at the Tony Macaroni last weekend against Livi. This will be a new-look Motherwell that we’ll see today as they’ve brought in about ten new faces, including some pacey young players. In midfield Sloth is no slouch alhthough I read that he’s doubtful for today’s game. Alongside, 21-year-old Allan Campbell is a consistent enough performer but they’ll obviously be missing the injured Turnbull and the transferred Hastie quite a lot. While their defence will undoubtedly be weakened by the absence of suspended left-back Jake Carrol, they have been pretty solid in that department thanks to the input of veteran right back Richard Tait and the introduction of new centre back Declan Gallagher, recently brought in from Livi. Dutch winger Sherwin Seedorf (a distant relative of Clarence) is fast and full of raw talent but flashy new Congolese centre forward Christy Manzinga, an ex-youth prospect at PSG, will be out injured for some time to come. They’re bound to defend tightly but also put themselves about quite a bit attempting to use that tight pitch to their advantage.

In the Celtic camp Hatem Elhamed picked up a slight niggle the other night in Romania while Mikey Johnston hasn’t fully recovered from a knock received last Saturday but could make the return leg against Cluj. With Jozo suspended again and Lenny probably relcutant to throw in Ralston, this game is crying out for a 3-5-2 formation which would serve up another great opportunity for Eddy and Griff to forge a fruitful partnership up front. McGregor and Christie are both certs to start but could be given a rest in the second half if things are going well and we’re two or three goals up. Solid and competent defending, fast tempo, crisp precision passing, a bit of patience whilst trying to find openings and some clinical finishing should do the job.

Bain

Ajer Julienne Bitton

Forrest Brown Christie McGregor Bolingoli

Griffiths Edouard

Subs: Gordon, Ralston, Hayes, Ntcham, Henderson, Sinclair, Shved.

(Ntcham, Henderson and Shved to feature)

Prediction: Motherwell 0 Celtic 2 (Edouard, Christie)

COYBIG

Good luck to the Hibees in the hundrome tomorrow.

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Yoker Bhoy

Yoker,
Good morning comrade,
Time to shake off the shackles of disappointment and get the battle fever on, KT is away now, now we have to get right behind the players who are here.

HH

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Monti

It is m8, just want the best for us & the club m8, that never changes.

Yoker Bhoy
4 years ago

Morning Monti, spot on m8. I was totally gutted when I got the news on Wedndesday night but I’ve put it behind me already. It’s the present and the future that count now and we have enough on our plate at the moment to waste time with sentimental stuff. How do you reckon we’ll get on today?

Mike
4 years ago

Yoker, Another great summation, repost it on the new diary mate and very well done…

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