Celtic Diary Thursday January 24

Sky Sports “understands”  that Celtic will listen to offers over £8m for Gary Hooper. Some people are saying he was on a flight to Stanstead this morning…

The Sun “understands ” that Manchester Utd are about to raid Celtic for Victor Wanyama for £10m. Worryingly, on Sportswitness.com, an interview is quoted where Wanyama said ManUtd were his favourite team…

But, any team in England after the Kenyan Fenian will have to be quick. Although a work permit would probably be granted, it will take time as it would have to go to appeal-Kenya are ranked outside the top 70, which is part of the conditions for getting a permit. So if its going to happen it should happen by the weekend….

The Record “understands” that a bid for Jaun Agudelo is not being taken seriously by his club  Chivas.

Supporters attending this weekends League Cup semi final are asked to bring their boots with them because at this rate they might well get a game.

They are an understanding lot, the media.

Its a shame about Hooper if he does go, he could well turn out to be this generations Kenny Dalglish, as he has proved to have a great footballing brain when he drops a little deeper. His strike rate is excellent, and his attitude, despite all the hoo ha has remained superb. Victor Wanyama will also be a great loss, but the club will remain, and thats the important bit.

Everton are the latest club to be linked with Hooper, as long as they can sell Fellaini, and Tottenham are ready to offer him a big deal.

It won’t be Norwich though, they , according to their chairman, don’t have the money to compete, which should come as no surprise.

Anyway, Fraser Forster is the latest Celt to come out and say he expects hooper to still be here come February 1.

Sir Alex Ferguson went up in a lot of peoples estimations yesterday with a touching eulogy for Sean Fallon at yesterdays service. he said;

“I think its difficult for people who are successful to remain humble, its a touch of greatness. Sean always had that greatness. Through his background,his upbringing, his Irishness, that breeds humility and also loyalty. He would never let you down. ”

One of Seans grandchildren summed him  up best;

“Our papa said he realised his dreams. He’d a family he loved , a job he loved , may we all be so blessed.”

Goodnight, Sean, and thanks for everything.

Gary Caldwell has spoken of the higher standard he is now playing at with Wigan. Caldwell, the master of the long diagonal ball out of defence-or so he thought-is happy at Wigan, and Celtic supporters are happy he is there. He reckons Gary Hooper should stay and enjoy the champions league for now, but says that Celtic, whilst a big club, are in the SPL. and are not “playing Manchester Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool week in, week out” A quick glance at the fixture list shows that Wigan aren’t either, but have the glamour of Norwich, West Brom and Stoke to make up for it.

Its all a bit depressing at the moment for one reason or another, and really it shouldn’t be. Celtic are still in all four competitions they entered at the start of the season, and theres a lot to look forward to.

However, it can’t hurt to have a good old fashioned chuckle at those less fortunate than ourselves.

Good old fashioned chuckles Green, the yorkshire businessman who tells everyone what they want to hear, has been on the road promising the usual good times ahead for Sevco Rangers.

His latest master plan, sensing that the inhabitants of the bigotdome don’t want to have their stadium renamed, is for the supporters to sponsor it instead. Perhaps it would be easier for Sevco fans to just have their wages paid directly into Greens own bank? Quite why any major business would want to be associated with the toxic club and its less than tolerant support is beyond most rational thinkers, but then that would explain why Green wants the support to do it…

More wacky fun from that support, one of whom on a website wants all the other supporters to attend a weekend festival of Rangers where they can celebrate their clubs history and culture with such things as bands, funfairs and dragging catholics behind cars. He thinks about 250,000 will turn up, and at fifty quid each to get in, thats them back on footballs rich list. Perhaps they could hold it in the town of Chernobyl.

One person who will be a wee bit wealthier in a couple of weeks is the fellow who makes Craig Whyte masks. Dundee utd fans have upset the delicate, sensitive fans of Sevco by planning to wear them at the upcoming Scottish cup tie at Tannadice. With Rangers threatening to boycott the game anyway, its hard to see how it would upset them, but once again, its banter when they do it, and offensive when someone does it to them.

There, thats made me feel better.

Kris Boyd, the greatest player ever to pull on a pair of boots is looking for a club after leaving Portland Timbers, a football club in Oregon, and not a sawmill in Sussex, and if only Sevco could sign someone…. Theres your replacement for Gary Hooper right there. Defenders will be so busy laughing at him, Anthony Stokes could sneak in and score.

Mark Walters was the man who said “Stop McStay and you stop Scotland”, ahead of the maestros barnstorming performance in a 5-4 schoolboy international win over England. Well done to Richard Gray

In 82-3 and 87-8 McStay managed something else, which he did only twice in his career.

What was that?