Celtic Diary Friday October 25

Manager Neil Lennon has more or less given up on keeping Fraser Forster at the club. With interweb rumours linking the big keeper with some of Europes wealthier clubs, it does seem like he’ll be celebrating his last new year in Glasgow come January;

“People might say I am biased but over the last two seasons in the Champions League he has proved at the highest level that he’s a fantastic goalkeeper and he’s still only 24. For a keeper who is still so young. He’s got so much more to come.

“The way he’s playing at the minute and the fact he’s knocking on the door to be England’s No.1 playing in the Scottish league, that speaks volumes for his talent.”

“Sometimes it is very frustrating as a manager, as you are trying to build something, you are trying to progress the club but it is a huge compliment about what we have
done over the past two or three years and it has
really put the club on the map again.

“People are talking about us down south in more glowing terms than probably for a long time and that’s down to the performances of the players.”

He’s more optimistic about keeping some of the others though, but ominously, Anthony Stokes, still to sign a new contract, isn’t on the list;

“We have a core – Brown, Ledley, Commons, Samaras, Lustig and Ambrose has just signed a new contract.

“It is important to keep that core together while one or two individuals may move on.”

Forster himself has spoken of his England ambitions, and revealed he has not been told whether he will feature in any friendlies before next years World Cup;

“There has been no mention about me being used [by England] in the friendlies which are coming up,”

“There is still a lot of football to be played between now and next month and your club form has to be good before you can even think about playing for your country,If it happens then it happens and it would be terrific but, until it does, I’m just concentrating on Celtic.”

“The whole England thing is a bit of a bonus at the moment, For me, it’s all about playing well for Celtic and, if I can do that, the rest will take care of itself.”

Apart from a short period in the early 2000s, Celtic have been a selling club since the fifties, with players usually tempted south for more money, and although its hard to take, the gulf in wages continues to grow, and unless players gain a particular affection for the club, then it isn’t going to change. Celtic cannot match the inflated wages in England, but if a player could be swayed by a higher signing on fee when his contract is up, then the club should try a little harder to find the money.

A settled and experienced team would continue to progress at the highest level, and the resultant financial spin off would more than compensate. Its just a matter of whether we want to be successful on the field , or off it.

The board should remember that supporters don’t sing songs about bank balances.

Someone who has appeared on the radar of those who, er, look at radars at Celtic Park is Craig Bryson of Derby County.

This, from HITC Sport;

The small in stature midfielder isn’t a huge physical presence on the pitch but lets his feet and intelligence on and off the ball do the work. He has an incredible long-range shot on him when he gets a bit of time on the box but will not waste chances if he doesn’t fancy himself.

He is a box to box midfielder, neither out and out attacking or overly defensive he will always make himself an option and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. Perhaps one of the hardest working players in the Championship and seems to cover more ground than anyone else on the pitch in any given match day situation, he empitomises consistency and hard work.

All they had to do really is say he’s cheap, there is apparently a £750,000 buy out clause in his contract.

The  Glasgow derby is on Sunday, and as we mentioned earlier, there will be collections at Firhill to support the foodbanks throughout the city. The club should be reminded of its roots, and publicly lead the way in supporting this appeal.

French magazine So Foot has published a list of the best fans in the world. Celtic make the list with a more than respectable third place;

1. Boca Juniors (Argentina)
2. Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
3. Celtic Glasgow (Scotland)
4. Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
5. Napoli (Italy)
6. Galatasaray (Turkey)
7. Athletic Club Bilbao (Spain)
8. Red Star (Serbia)
9. Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
10. Saint-Etienne (France)

Ally McCoist has demanded to know the names of the people on the jury.

Notably, there are no teams from the English superleague on there, with thousands of  real fans being priced out of the game down here, although Liverpool do get a mention, as the magazine says that their version of  “You’ll never Walk Alone ” is not as good as ours;

“If this hymn is adored by “Scousers” of Liverpool, at Celtic Park in Glasgow they have a cappella version which is better.” 

They didn’t mention the awful “Fields of Anfield Road”  But then, nobody does.

With the extinction of the club formerly known as Rangers, it seems the royal family-not the one one the telly with the lazy bloke and his dysfunctional clan who do feck all all day but sponge off the state, oh wait, it is that one- are trying to drum up support from the more traditionally Republican club in Glasgow.

With the Queen already scheduled for a visit to Celtic Park next year-probably a champions league game-one of her kids, or grandkids, I get mixed up, released this picture yesterday;

This is William, destined one day to be King William, so he does have a bit of work to do to win over the crowds at Celtic. The overly long dress on the baby is to hide its unfeasibly long legs, anomolies which are common in families that marry their cousins.

There was an attempt to move away from this tradition a few years ago, but it didn’t really work.

Etims reputation was in tatters yesterday when the Scotsman gave credibility to something that appeared in the Diary a week or so ago.

Remember this ? From Charlotte Fakes ? Then a drunk guy confirmed it to us last week.

Or did we give credibility to the Scotsman ? Tell you something else, keep an eye on the keeper who got injured, also mentioned on the front page. Injured ? Is homesickness an injury ? Ach, nonsense. Its not like Steve Bruce, the Hull manager, ever goes to Celtic Park..

Meanwhile, all is not well over at Ibrox. No, really.

The bold Charlotte Fakes has tweeted this;