The Sunday Post, the paper we all used to get, has employed Alan Brazil as a columnist, alongside other notables such as Gordon smith, which probably explains why it’s the paper we used to get.
Brazil, who doesn’t watch Scottish football but is never short of an opinion on it, reckons there’s a massive tug of war going on between Celtic and “rangers ” over Liverpools youngsters, and then they’re going to plunder the rest of English clubs for their talent.
WHEN Celtic and Rangers do battle on the pitch, everybody stops to watch.
Far fewer take notice when a tussle takes place behind the scenes.
But the scrap that is happening right now proves the return of the Old Firm is breathing new life into Scottish football.
In one corner, it’s Celtic and Brendan Rodgers.
In the other, Rangers and Frank McParland.
And the prize? Plundering Liverpool – then the rest of the Premier League – for the best of their young talent.
The Gers won first blood when they plucked teenage midfielder Jordan Rossiter from the Reds’ academy on a permanent deal.
But before Rangers’ head of recruitment – and former Liverpool academy director – McParland could even begin to enjoy the moment, along came Rodgers and the plot thickened.
The new Bhoys boss wasted no time in whipping out his own Anfield contacts book with a view to nabbing £3.5 million-rated Joe Gomez on loan
As far as one-upmanship goes, that’s a beezer – and Hoops fans will be loving it.
Actually, I think we’ll stop there.
Recent indications from Celtic are that Dermot is putting the band back together, and getting players in on loan is not the way forward.
And Celtic fans will not be “loving it ” if the best we can hope for is a few loans and a couple of kids.
What Brazil has failed to grasp is that the Old firm no longer exists. what we have now is a single superpower in Scotland and a club with a sizeable support trying desperately to appear relevant, when simply they don’t have the revenue or the backing to compete.
So, of course, he has to bring Celtic down to their level, as opposed to the other way round.
He’s not the only one doing that.
Apparently Celtic and “rangers ” are in competition for Danny Graham of Sunderland and Steven Taylor of Newcastle, two players who would be way above Ibrox expectations, and way below ours.
But it keeps them relevant.
Another that really shouldn’t have any opinion on Celtic is former defender Mark Wilson, who gave his views to the Capital City Press…
MARK Wilson insists Kris Commons could have saved Ronny Deila’s Celtic career – and believes the attacker is a ‘luxury’ Brendan Rodgers can afford to keep.
Wilson is convinced Commons should have featured more last season as Celtic struggled to hold off Aberdeen in the league.
The 32-year-old, who had a public falling out with manager Deila during the Europa League defeat to Molde in October, made just five league starts after the New Year.
Struggled to hold off Aberdeen ? Yeah, thats how it was.
“For me, personally, I think he has plenty to offer to Celtic. I’m a big fan of Kris Commons as a player.
“I thought he should have played a lot last season and he didn’t.
“Ronny Deila opted for anybody else rather than Kris Commons, which was weird when he was such a goal-scorer and such a big player for Celtic over the years.
“I would like to see him stay, because I still think he can contribute. And for a large portion of the Celtic fans, they would like to see him stay.
“He should have made more appearances last season and maybe if he did Celtic would have been in a better place, and maybe Ronny Deila would have still been there.”
“He is a luxury player, but with what he brings to the team the other nine outfield players can chip in and make up for the bad bits of his game.
“Brendan Rodgers does change the system and that’s why I think he’s the perfect fit for Celtic.
“And he might just be wise to keep Commons, because there’s no doubt he’s valuable for certain games.”
Luxury player , of course, is a euphemism for lazy bastard. But we all need someone who the other players can carry when he’s not doing his job…. don’t we ?
One name linked that might have a little bit of truth in it is, oh I’m not even going to try to spell it, here’s all nigeria soccer instead;
Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have made enquiries about signing Chidiebere Nwakali from Manchester City, according to the midfielder’s camp.
The Nigeria youth international has impressed since joining Norwegian Tippeligaen side IK Start in March, starting the last ten games in the topflight and scoring one goal against Aalesunds FK.
With his loan deal with IK Start set to run out in the coming weeks, Nwakali recently traveled to Manchester to discuss his future with the club and it is not ruled out that he would take part in pre-season training.
“Celtic wanted to sign Chidiebere last week, they approached Manchester City but the club gave them a negative response,” Chidiebere’s elder brother Allwell Nwakali told allnigeriasoccer.com.
“He was in Manchester to see the officials after he was given a two-week break by IK Start to find out if he will take part in pre-season. We are working hard for him to start playing for Man City. ”
Chidiebere is currently in Lagos and will travel to Owerri on Sunday to attend the birthday of his younger brother Kelechi Nwakali, who is in Calabar with the national team.
The ex-Flying Eagles star is now managed by very influential agent Pere Guardiola.
We’ve already got one player in from Start, so it’s not unreasonable to assume we may have spotted another, and we have been known to do business with Manchester city in the past.
But to take two players from a side which hasn’t won in 28 league games is a bit like, well, signing the Dundee United front three and expecting a run in the champions League.
Which reminds me, Etims have , due to legal pressure , been forced to reveal our pish stained source, the man in the know who keeps us informed of transfer goings on…
HITC Transfer NewsRumour: Galatasaray’s Jason Denayer interesting Manchester City? http://www.fotomac.com.tr/galatasaray/2016/06/04/pepin-gozdesi-jason … #
Gordon Strachans Scotland completed the last of their friendlies last night, losing to France, something which a number of other countries will do this summer.
Scotland were in a tough group in the euros, and didn’t qualify. And the press, having had a free summer trip cruelly snathced away from them, don’t seem to have forgiven him.
Scotland, it appears, are shite again, and despite this coming on the back of two games at the end of a long season where the players really would rather be somewhere else, and the manager as well, come to think of it, those SFA jollies have to be fulfilled.
And it was an excuse for them to get out of the country away from the heat generated by Resolution 12, as the beaks now know that this summer sojourn could also be their last.
With Celtic beginning to clear the throat and giving the wording a final check….that is.
Ach, its summer.
Lets try to enjoy it.
There’s the Euros to look forward to…
Brendan F1rst Oh, you’ll need this when you go away…
If only there was a domestic version, adapted slightly. Oh, there is. It’s called soap.
Our chums from the other side had something else to worry about last night…
Apparently the shredder is broke, and they have to burn documents now.
Or they could have just been giving the old trophy room a dust down ready for title number 55…
Of course , the support over there somehow feel that this is a realistic possibility, but then, they have form for that sort of , er, optimism and unwillingness to face reality;
Mind you, there’s at least one of our own who raised a few eyebrows as he struggled to understand fashion, you know, that “does this go with this ” question so many of us struggle with….
Elsewhere, Gary Monk, once considered by some for the managers job at Celtic until someone pointed out the existence of rhyming slang, has been appointed manager of Leeds;
Its funny how people can end up in jobs that were kind of destined for them.
I mean , look at Davie Provan, once of Kilmarnock and Celtic…
He became a tv commentator..
On to yesterdays caption competition…
and the winner is…..
Caption ‘ Joe Ledley realises life was better at Celtic’
Some intro that, by the way…
Today, lets see what you can make of this…from a report in the Stoke Evening Sentinel about the potteries accent dying away…
Actually, that may be a little too easy, so here’s another to amuse you as well, taken during the Paris floods of 1909, but not by me.
