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Celtic Diary Tuesday September 1: As The Saying Goes….

There’s an old saying, which seems to apply to the frantic goings on at Celtic Park over the last couple of days.

Something must be done, this is something, therefore let’s do it.

And we seem to be going down the well worn panic buying path of yesteryear.

Is it true Ronny is in Magaluf ? As well as Lee Wallace ?

Well, you can’t beat a daft rumour.

After Celtic beat St. Johnstone at the weekend, this time breaking with tradition and allowing the Saints to score first, the men in suits swung into action.

Working their way down the list of possible signings, it looks like deals will be secured for Ryan Christie, as soon as he comes down from the clouds to discuss personal terms, Jozo Simunovic, as soon as he passes a medical, and possibly Steven Fletcher, as soon as it becomes apparent no-one else wants to come.

We’ve made an arse of it again, haven’t we ?

A last minute scramble round chasing players no-one else wants to supplement a squad already big enough to fill any empty seats at any upcoming game.

Of those already here, only Stefan Scepovic is confirmed as away. twelve months on, he finally got that move to Getafe. Or as he thinks they are called, having heard it when he’s on the park, Getafe Ya Clown.

Virgil van Dijk will probably land his move with Southampton Obscurity FC, which won’t do him any good, but when he’s retired he’ll be able to get out the old bank statements and point to the most memorable deposits to help while away the hours. You can’t blame him. footballs a short career, and it’s important to have a seven figure balance before you hit 25 these days, otherwise you will end up living in a flat above a shop when you retire.

Celtic are said to be holding out for £13m for the dutchman, including add ons, which is nice. Before he makes one move, they are already discussing his next one. I know it makes sense from Celtic’s point of view, but maybe Southampton should be asking why he’s only taken an overnight bag down with him.

Darnell Fisher has gone to St. johnstone, he went last week, presumably the arrival of saidy Janko was the last straw for him. Having deputised ably for Adam Matthews and Mikael Lustig in the pasy, he must have thought he’d get a run in the side, but it was not to be. Genuine best wishes go to the guy, who never let us down, and maybe if he had either responded to or been given proper training, along with Efe Ambrose, Celtic wouldn’t be facing the rest of the season with an entirely new defence.

There is a snag with the Simunovic deal.

It appears his club, Dinamo Zagreb, ate looking for 40 per cent of any future profit, while Celtic only want to go to 25. Whilst it is reality these days, it’s nice to know we’re planning to sell him before he gets here.

Perhaps the new defence is indicative of whats to come.

Maybe next summer it’ll be the midfield who are moved on en masse.

Whilst Craig Gordon remains in place, the new right back looks like being Saidy Janko. Dedryck Boyata, himself still unsteady on his feet, will be the senior central defender if Simunovic does come. Poor old Izzy, he’ll be ousted by Tyler Blackett, another from the Manchester United academy who talks a good game, didn’t hesitate when Celtic came calling etc…

In fact, Louis van Gaal told him to go, which somehow the player sees as a good thing;

“I spoke to him [Van Gaal] yesterday and he said it would be good for me,” Blackett said.

“A good experience to get the games that I need, which obviously I couldn’t get at United right now, but to come here and play at this level is always going to be good for my development.

“United is obviously a big, worldwide club and with the players they are bringing in, it is always difficult for young players but it makes the challenge more of a step forward.

“It means you have got more to look forward to and you’ve got to try break in and hopefully this can be a platform for to do that here as well.

“I spoke to the manager and said I want to play first-team football and for me to go out on loan to a good club like Celtic is the right way forward.”

It’s a loan, with an option to buy. Somehow, the option to buy makes all the difference, but if the guy does well, will he really want to stay ? Especially when Jason Denayer, the last player graciously developed for a Manchester club, sealed another loan with Galatasaray, and the financial details , if true, are mind boggling;

Interesting detail on Jason Denayer loan to Galatasaray. £100k sign on fee City;transfer total £596k with player getting £11k bonus per game  

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Let that sink in.

We cannot compete with that, and it was the work put in by Celtic coaches that lifted him to that sort of remuneration. Stop doing it. We should be working on our own.

Could Efe Ambrose, given the time and attention paid to Denayer, have become a better player ? Who knows ? But at least he would have still been our player. Or Darnell Fisher ?

What about Liam Henderson, now in the second stage of his world tour in edinburgh

Mind you, all that aside, and we really won’t know where we stand until the window shuts later today, the Express is bemoaning the influx of foreign footballers and the long term effect it will have.

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Well, I think thats what they mean.

Going back to Saturdays game, and the Green Brigade decided to share their thoughts about the recent failure of the club to make the Champions League group stages.

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Unsurprisingly, Celtic went 1-0 down soon after…

Criticise the team  all you want in the pub, on the web, and on the phone ins. But not at the ground.

The sentiments may be correct, although harsh on the players, but there is a time and a place for that sort of thing. Especially if you want to get results.

Here’s how others did it…

 

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Tomorrow will probably be the best time to asses the transfer window, and we’ll know where we are by then.

Or where we are going, there’s a big month ahead, with games against Aberdeen Hearts, Dundee and Ajax . So whatever the bold Ronny is planning, it needs to work straight away.

By the way, it’s exactly four years today since the Diary made it’s debut on Etims. Thats longer than some clubs have been around.

Of course, we look forward to bringing it to you for some time to come. and the police aren’t investigating any of us, which is another advantage we have over some clubs.

Former Rangers chief executive Charles Green is likely to face charges relating to his time at the club, BBC Scotland has learned.

On Tuesday morning he arrived for talks with Police Scotland.

Mr Green took control at Rangers after buying the club’s assets following administration and liquidation in 2012.

He stepped down following allegations that he was working in conjunction with the club’s former owner Craig Whyte.

Mr Whyte has already been charged with being involved in a fraudulent scheme to take control of the club in 2011.

He and three others were released on bail last year.

It is unclear what charges Mr Green is facing, but he has already spoken to the police on three occasions.  

Charles Green arrives for talks with Police Scotland

Doesn’t look confident , does he ?

Can’t be long before the truth comes out now. The police seem to be taking their time with this one. It’s now nine months since they spoke to Craig Whyte. Wait till they get round to speaking to David Murray…..if, of course, they ever do.

Anyhoo, happier times now, and a caption competition.

The amount of times I’d get a ticket early on after travelling up overnight at those doors……For about three quid, usually, then off to the Sarry Heid, or the Fruit market for “breakfast ”

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The real anton rogan
9 years ago

Feck me thons a big ladder. And why aren’t the polis intervening as those bastards try and steal our ‘8’?

mr greene
9 years ago

Caption.

Is that the last time the windows were washed, 1888 ?

9 years ago

Hope your still here in 4 years time! Well Done!

dziekanowski's nightclub child
9 years ago

I still find it embarrassing that we paraded a loan signing as our new transfer signing at half time on Saturday. And then I couldn’t hear a bloody word he said!

Daviebhoy
9 years ago

This place is undoubtedly underr(eighted)HH
Keep up the good work. Hope we get a decent center forward

Highland Tim
9 years ago

Four years of great entertainment and opinion. Keep up the good work. HH

Woosterbhoy
9 years ago

Let’s change it to 2012. No one will notice. They’ll still read it as 1888.

Carl Bigginslater
9 years ago
Reply to  Woosterbhoy

Bravo. Great caption.

Celtic67
9 years ago

The worst thing about that banner on Saturday was that Keevins loved it.

Lenny Bruce
9 years ago

The banner was widely misinterpreted in the media, and by other fans.

You end to read bet went he lines for the hidden message

What it actually said was ……

“LOOK AT US! EVERYONE. LOOK AT US”

Run Sammy Run
9 years ago

Come on Rodney, cheer up, this time next year we’ll be washing the windows at Southampton and be millionaires

bgbhoy
9 years ago

stokes away on loan? so we have 2 strikers at the club if he goes? so we can assume we will be signing a striker?

kkbhoy
9 years ago

hang on one minute. were the GB just not stating what we were all thinking?

9 years ago

Why do we need any more strikers? We only play one at a time … /facetious

Btw, Phil Mac reporting Googly Eyes having his collar felt today.

p.s. Congrats on four years. The Diary is my favorite Celtic read with the morning toast … 🙂

CarlJungleBhoy
9 years ago
Reply to  kingsnake

There’s another obvious reason why Virgil chose Southampton. – The fact that fellow Dutchmen (and IMHO all round decent guys ) the Koeman brothers run the show. That alone will ensure much more media attention in Holland and – assuming he does as well in the EPL as his play at Celtic suggests he’s capable of – will mean he’s got a much better chance of clinching a place in the Oranje starting line-up

CarlJungleBhoy
9 years ago
Reply to  kingsnake

*thoughts …

The Dairy is a place to buy the butter than goes with the morning toast. The Dairy is our daily bread.

The Diarrhoea is what you get if you read too many of Deidhead’s replies

The Diary is well worth the paper it’s (not) written on. Even the really shitey bits are better than the SMSM! (nice slogan – Ed 🙂 )

The Diary is 4 years old – Older than Sevco. Ralph was born after 1888 but before 2011. – FACT!

HA-P-BAY DIARY!

CarlJungleBhoy
9 years ago
Reply to  CarlJungleBhoy

LOL @myself – The Diary is our daily bread!

Half_Fool
9 years ago

That’s Virgil away for 11.5 Mill – OK, where is that replacement and quality striker?

elcormaco
9 years ago

4 years old today!? Congratulations. That is also the age of most of the jokes we all make on here so very apt.

So big VVD away? It was always going to happen, he played this season like he was already somehwere else anyway. He’s a player alright, albeit one prone to terrible lapsess in concentration, and as well as his bank balance being enhabnced, I think he does need a greater challenge to push him on to reach his potential. I hope the board have got some clauses about potential re sale monies coming to us, but knowing our board they probably took a wee bit extra up front now and waived the future signing on clauses. Cause they’re good like that.

Can I locate any excitement about Blackett, or Christie? Frankly, no I cant. If £3m is the figure for a permananet deal for Blackett we won’t be paying that, and Christie I ll have to be honest and say I cant reacll anything he ever did in any game I ll have seen him play (ie against us) but mid field is one area of the squad that is well populated right now. Left back any one? What has Izzy got on Lawell that means the club are forbidden from going and signing another left back? It must be good. And please no, not Steven Fletcher – often injured, rarely in any way effective, far from a “marquee” player to fill seats, just an over hyped, over paid mercenary coming up North again. I d rather have seen the Scep get a fair go myself.

So old Chuckles is feeling the long arm of the law. Not a big surprise, it will be very intersting to see how it all shakes out. Tims wont be surprised of course, nor will bears, having had time to delete their pro Charles Green tweets and posts and re write their Histories (again)

Funkyy
9 years ago

So, finally, at last, not before time Jump the Dyke has gone. I’m sorry guys but I don’t just like my “heroes” to have talent, I like them to have a decent character, to be a truthful, honourable man. O.k. maybe I’m a wee bit naive in today’s definition of “football star”, but my memories are filled with names like Stevie Chalmers, Billy McNeil, John Hughes etc etc.guys who didn’t con the fans by pretending to love Celtic or know what the club means to us…and as far as I know, didn’t chase birds while their wife was sitting at home pregnant. Here’s some quotes from Jump the Dyke today:-

1) “I’m delighted and so excited. It was a very easy decision to join this club.” He said something similar when he came as a virtual unknown to us!!!!

2) “They are trying to play football and that’s something that really attracted me.” That and the fekking huge obscene salary.

3)”I hope to settle in really quick, get everything around football sorted, start playing and enjoying it because the most important thing in football is to have fun and enjoy every day.” And spend my munny while I await a call from my agent saying that Man Utd are interested.

You can tell I have old-fashioned values, and a lot of you will knock me for it…..but that in itself is evidence that “Greed is good, greed works”…sadly, when you look around you see that greed has won. Very few people have principles, and most will change their principles in an instant for a bung….and football players are the biggest culprits. They lead us on, saying what we want to hear, pointing to the club crest on their chest and only playing well so their agent can get them moved on to a bigger salary.
Down South you’re cheering a “hero” playing for Liverpool one season, then he’s off to Man City the next season, then he’s off to….etc etc. Absolutely zero loyalty to the club/fans.
But the bubble down South will eventually burst (and there will be casualties among the clubs) and the sooner the fekking better.
Goodbye, what’s is name?!!!!!

Devoy45
9 years ago

Loyalty? Principles? His name was Larsson.

Phaco
9 years ago
Reply to  Devoy45

Spot on Sir. Hh

Funkyy
9 years ago

Of course Devoy45….and that strengthens my point. Henrik could have left us after 2 or 3 seasons and gone on to bigger paying clubs, but he showed that being happy, his wife and kids being happy (he said that himself)and being well treated at Celtic by club and fans was so important to him. While many of today’s mercenaries couldn’t lace his boots, they could learn the meaning of humility and loyalty from the man. Sadly those qualities are out of fashion…just ask Liverpool fans what they think of Raheem Sterling.
Anyway, we live in hope.
Happy birthday to the Diary!!! HH

Frank McGaaaarvey
9 years ago
Reply to  Funkyy

Funkyy,

Totally agree on the King of Kings but what we have to remember is he was extremely handsomely paid and is probably the highest ever-paid Celt of all time. Which he more than merited but it raises the hypothetical question of would he have hung around if he was about in the present day of strict wage caps and budgets, etc.?

Phaco
9 years ago

Frank, the man promised seven years and delivered, best Celt ever imo. Hh

Frank McGaaaaarvey
9 years ago
Reply to  Phaco

No disagreement from me there Phaco but if he was at Celtic Park nowadays there may have been a different outcome to our wonderful love story…….

Funkyy
9 years ago

By the way, watch the Dyke’s first interview after signing for Southampton…he starts by saying it’s a great club with great people etc etc…so the interviewer asks him what he knows about Southampton…cue a repeat word for word of what he had just said moments before..in other words he knows nothing, zilch, about Southampton, he only knows and is only interested in what he’s gonna be paid.

Frank McGaaaarvey
9 years ago

Speaking of loyalty, I see that ungrateful wee turd Islam Feruz has gone on loan to Hibs.

“I could have been a contender”

Tam The Tim
9 years ago

We see many players going to the epl for exhorbitant fees, Van Dyke is only another who is going there for the riches on offer. Some may say a footballers life is short but I think when you look back after retiring and with no honours to your name you may think, what a waste. Then you check the old bank account and see all those lovely pound notes in it and think who cares, nobody remembers me but what the fuck, I’m a rich man. Sad.
HH

Funkyy
9 years ago

Aye, wee Islam is saying the words….but his previous actions have spoken volumes. I sincerely don’t ever want to see him in the hoops, 1st class manipulator…don’t believe a word he says. He discovered it wasn’t as easy as he thought to make it down South, his career was stuck in a rut, but there’s always a mug or two waiting to offer a helping hand to someone who doesn’t deserve it. There are good honest boys out there who would play their hearts out for their club and country…he’s not one of them. Give them the chance to develop.

Funkyy
9 years ago

Since the Malmo game I appear to have become somewhat hard of heart and very unforgiving!!

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