Sky Sports News helpfully pointed out to any club currently involved in negotiations to sell any of their players to Celtic that the Scottish giants have raked in £39.5m since the end of last season. It doesn’t suit their agenda of hyping the EPL, so thankfully they didn’t add season ticket money to the total that is resting in the account just now, but it almost certainly added a few quid on to the price of any prospective signings.
Perhaps, knowing that wanyama and hooper were going, Celtic should have had replacements already in, or at least lined up, which has caused consternation amongst the support.
Well, Balde was here before hooper went, and Rogic arrived even earlier to compete for the vacant wanyama slot , along with the already present Efe Ambrose and Beram Kayal. So maybe we should haud wheesht a while, and give the management a chance.
Just because there is money in the bank doesn’t mean we have to go mad with it.
As Peter Lawwell said from his hotel in the Netherlands as he takes a short break from the business of running a football clubs finances. Depending on what sort of weekend he has, we might have a new forward in, or a couple of photographs of him emerging from a downtown hotel clutching a bottle of penicillin.
The forward he is supposed to be looking at is this guy – Alfred Finnbogasson. Dubbed by some, “the perfect striker ”
Not, of course to be confused with Kjartan Finnbogasson, who was with Celtic a few years ago. At the time, he was expected to break through, and a first team shirt was printed, at considerable expense, with his name on it. With money tight at Celtic, and no-one else available called Vennegoor of Hesselink, Alfred Finnbogasson is a natural choice.
Although this lad can play a bit.
Heres a wee fact you might not know. Last month he played for Iceland against Slovenia, and the Icelandic manager is a Mr. Lars Lagerbeck, who is not unknown to one or two at Celtic…
A glance at these stats show that the boy is certainly worth a look, capable of scoring with both feet and his head, and in a total of 152 games at all levels, he has scored 84 times..which explains rumours linking him with Werder Bremen, Hamburg and Milan.
( Note, those links may or may not work. If they don’t, look them up yourself. I had to. )
The only doubt I have is the idea of signing a Scandanavian from the Dutch league. That hardly ever works out . But, of all the names flying about-or not flying about-Finnbogasson looks like a Celtic player..
Allow me to explain.
Growing up in the West coast of Scotland, when players were tipped to sign for Celtic, my old man would simply glance at a mugshot and declare that he looked like a Celt-clean cut, smiling, etc. If there was the hint of er, more simian features , perhaps with even what phrenologists would call base criminal instincts, then the player was a stick on for the now defunct Rangers.
For example, heres Finnbogasson
and heres a couple linked with First Rangers in the past
Lennon specifically mentioned that he is trying to push the buttons on a couple of strikers, which may be perfectly acceptable in more liberal minded parts of the Netherlands, but might raise a few eyebrows elsewhere.
The boss also spoke of gary hooper, who is now away from Celtic and has lost his capital letters entitlement.
“I’m sorry to see Gary go but he wants to play in the Premier League and he’s got that wish.
His ambition is to break into the England squad and he has an opportunity to play in the Premier League and maybe be more in touch with the England manager now.
I wish him well – he’s the best striker we’ve had here since Henrik.
He’s done everything I asked of him. He scored a load of goals, won trophies, made us better and there’s been a huge resale value in him.
Part of me wants to strangle him but you don’t want to stop the progress of individuals.
He brought real quality, a bulk of goals that separated him from the rest. He was
averaging 30 a season and that is very difficult to replace but we are actively looking for a genuine goalscorer.
Now we need to try to get replacements. We’re definitely going to try to bring one or two strikers in and we’re working away at that although it’s easier said than done. ”
Its hard to argue with that. good luck , gary, and thanks for the memories.
You’re still not getting a capital letter though.
With all the fuss and interest on the transfer market, its maybe slipped the mind that Celtic have another pre season friendly today. As far as big names in football go, they don’t come any bigger than Borussia Moenchengladbach ( Ralph, check out the difference between “bigger ” and “longer ” -it might also help your marriage -ed )
The Germans come to town, ably guided by the groundstaff leaving the floodlights on, and they will be a good rehearsal for the Champions League game against the much easier to type Elfsborg.
Borussia sport quite possibly the dullest and most unimaginative badge in football history since the demise of First Rangers;
but how about this for a set of strips..?
Borussia have a Brazilian defender called Raffael, but its not that one, much to the disappointment of new signing Amido Balde, who for a fleeting moment envisaged breaking all club scoring records in his first home start for the club.
A list of their previous managers is quite impressive, and includes Jupp Heynckes, Christian Ziege, and Dick Advocaat ( his name, not an opinion ) and a former players rollcall is like the proverbial who’s who of European football.
Berti Vogts, Gunter Netzer, Rainer Bonhof and Lothar Mattheus are just a few, but as they are no longer in the squad, Celtic do have a chance today.
Lennon should give game time to Joe Ledley and Charlie Mulgrew against others, but will secretly be hoping that no-one gets injured and Peter Lawwell will prove that its not only mums who go to Iceland for bargains. (Yes, I know he’s in the Netherlands, but Mums go to Holland doesn’t have the impact as a one liner. Especially as its dads who go to Holland. )
The Green Brigade have released a statement concerning the allegations that they are not behaving at the football. Over long and somewhat petulant in tone, all it does it add to the growing feeling amongst the support that they are looking for some sort of preferential treatment.
Of course, their banners and tifo displays are great, their singing is a bonus, but they need to remember that if you take even a great big bucket of water out of the ocean, it will hardly be noticed…
As far as I’m concerned, having been to the odd game or two in my time, the golden rule -and one that became a sort of unofficial motto for our own CSC- is that people look forward to the game all week. Don’t spoil it for them .
Hopefully common sense will prevail, and Celtic folk can stop sniping at each other.
Anyone who follows Charlotte Fakeover on twitter will have noticed talk of a police investigation as Jack Irvine finds out what its like when other people talk about you publicly, in much the same way as he and his mediahouse agency have been doing about anyone who slights the First and Second Rangers clubs, with apparently even a police investigation underway as to the “legality” of these leaks, in what is plainly an attempt to frighten the bold Charlotte away.
Are we finally reaching a stand off ? Charlotte is sure of his/her sources, and Irvine cannot use the scare tactics anymore- the police involvement, or threat of it, is looking more and more like the last throw of the dice.
Which should cheer us all greatly. as long as the appropriate authorities use such information to deal with any irregularities or inappropriate behaviour. ( Put the bastards in the dock and make sure the judge has his black cap ready )
Yesterday picture showed Tommy Callaghan, a favourite amongst the support in the seventies.
Today, who won the Peter Shilton lookalike competition in the same decade?
Step forward Mr Paul Wilson
jas
DAMNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!
H H
Ralph
I don’t know what everybody is complaining about. Peter has obviously spent money bringing in the new. That is definitely not the same biscuit tin as before. I know nobody ever saw the old one but it must have had cobwebs on it. This one is squeaky clean and doesn’t look like it needs a wrench to open it. Maybe he used it for his sandwiches on his trip to the Nether Regions. As long as he has some crumbs to offer a good player for the return journey, I have no complaints.
Hooper has gone and so has the hype. ‘Arry is greetin’ as usual and Delia has baked a canary tart for buttons. garry (I always obey instructions so I have left my case lowered) has as much chance of seeing Roy Orbison as Roy Hodgkinson. Does he not realise nobody ventures into Norfolk after dark? There go the night games for a start. Sorry garry but your national appearances are more likely at Aintree than Wembelee. But just think what great big ears you’ll have. I really do wish you well. I hope you are already in Wikipedia so that our children can check who you were and where you are.
This current trouble at Parkhead between everybody is one hell of a nightmare. I grew up knowing that the only defence Celtic and its supporters had was to be squeaky clean. If that meant crossing everything and keeping our gobs shut for the sake of our good name then that is what we did. We will never justify our behaviour to others so let us give them none to judge. That does not mean that we were silent but on the whole we were sensible. Nor does it imply we were not culpable of bad behaviour in the past nor are we innocent in the present. However, we were once untainted and now being in the spotlight on our own is a chance to be impeccable. Yet some “would be special” fans want to destroy that opportunity not this time from without but from right in the very heart of the club. I hear a lot about the Jungle days and the politics of supporters in the old days. Yes the Jungle was special and Celtic fans were vociferous in their socio-political beliefs but not one single one in the Jungle nor any other fan, political or not, felt special. No one group of fans stood out. We were all one, together and with a common purpose and objective. We wanted what was best for Celtic and to be the best fans in the world. It grieves an old man to see the road some are walking today for selfish interests. Finally, for me the whole problem is seating where mates can no longer be together and support together and get going together. In the old terraces everybody knew everybody and there were no inhibitions when showing your support ad we knew how just as good as today, at every game not just the European ones. Standing and supporting in unison brought real togetherness. Seating has brought real division. So there!
The photo is ringing bells but all I am getting is a hunch in my back. I hope it does not turn into a painful Moenchengladbach (don’t know what all the fuss is. I had no problems with the spelling when I copied it) this afternoon. I need to leave this quiz one to the experts.
H H
Toomai!
Elephant Boy.
“Yesterday picture showed Tommy Callaghan, a favourite amongst the support in the seventies”
WHIT???
What age are you Ralph?
Ralph, re the whole capital letters rule regarding ex players at which point do you get the capitals back after you leave?
For instance Henrik left so when did henrik become Henrik ?
Loving the diary recently although pensionerbhoys musings (god forbid that they post first time )should be a feature on their Own !!
Paul Wilson ,was there not a very un PC song at the time, that mimicked a peanuts advert ? Was it us or the huns that sung it ?
“The Germans come to town, ably guided by the groundstaff leaving the floodlights on….”
Classic pure classic.
As far as I am aware, Henrik Larrson has ALWAYS had capitals. That’s as it should be. Hail King Henrik!
Agree with althetim. I remember once when Tommy Callaghan came across to take a corner near the jungle and stewards had to restrain a couple of guys from grabbing him by the scruff of his neck. He certainly aroused strong emotions in fans – but he couldn’t be regarded as a ‘favourite’! Pensioner Bhoy, spot on about seating. As for gary – Norfolk’n’ good!