{"id":14995,"date":"2019-12-17T10:39:23","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T10:39:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=14995"},"modified":"2019-12-17T10:39:23","modified_gmt":"2019-12-17T10:39:23","slug":"celtic-diary-tuesday-december-17-the-final-mile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=14995","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Tuesday December 17: The Final Mile"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well, technically it’s not the final mile, its the final mile before what is increasingly looking like a much needed break and perhaps a freshening up of the playing staff.<\/p>\n

Celtic overcame Hibernian at the weekend, but it was pretty uninspiring stuff, but in fairness, it’s already been a long season in terms of games played and some of the core players will be feeling it.<\/p>\n

Add to that the doggedness of plucky rivals “rangers “, who keep on winning there is a different type of pressure on the team.<\/p>\n

Sooner or later they will implode, quite possibly before Christmas, but until they do, with maybe a few injuries or suspensions, they look like they will cling on.<\/p>\n

What Celtic need to do is to continue to be consistent, and win the games left this month. That will create a bit of breathing space and allow the manager to tinker with the staff. So to speak, that is.<\/p>\n

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It looks like the revolving door will be turning again with one or two leaving, and one or two coming in.<\/p>\n

Nir Biton is staying, he’s signed an extension that keeps him in Glasgow until 2023, and this may turn out to be the most significant signing of the winter. Quality cover is difficult to get, international footballers will not join a club to sit on the bench and only fill in where needed, least of all to a club like Celtic, who will not pay the salaries needed to compensate for not playing every week.<\/p>\n

If Biton is happy to cover for the midfield or central defence, we should be delighted, because we will not get a better or happier player than him to do that.<\/p>\n

As he says…<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been an amazing six years but I just want to keep it going and make it an amazing 10 years, and hopefully I\u2019ll do that.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t take it for granted, especially after what I\u2019ve been through. It was a tough time for myself and my family with the injury, but I\u2019m happy to put it behind me now.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a big statement for the club to give me a new contract and to show the trust they have in me, so I just want to show them on the pitch that I deserve a new contract and keep it going \u2013 keep winning trophies and keep winning games for Celtic, and make everyone happy.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Though his squad number does perhaps suggest the playing staff is a little bloated…<\/p>\n

\"Nir<\/p>\n

The January window is not one to worry about where stars leave, except when they fall out with the club, and there doesn’t seem to be an issue here with anyone, apart from Scott Sinclair, who will almost certainly be on his way back down south.<\/p>\n

Lawwell has wanted him off the payroll for months, which has annoyed the manager, as has the CEO’s reluctance to pay the going rate for Victor Wanyama, especially given the work Lennon has put into making this happen.<\/p>\n

It might still happen, but the wage bill is being trimmed and the buy low sell high model is still firmly in place.<\/p>\n

One name mentioned is Fabricio Bruno, based largely on a report from Brazil, which was promptly given a negative slant by Mark MacDougall of the Record..<\/p>\n

Fabricio Bruno ‘bid made’ by Celtic but Cruzeiro boss warns of high transfer fee<\/h1>\n

The 23-year-old centre back could make a loan move to Glasgow with an option to buy in future.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

If he was any good, and he’s Brazilian, so he must be, then you’d expect a high transfer fee, but MacDougall clearly has spent too much time over at Ibrox where transfer fees are a bit of an issue with the board still wondering who thought it was a good idea to sanction \u00a37m for Ryan Kent, a man who had never played a competitive game for Liverpool.<\/p>\n

From the Record…<\/p>\n

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Rodrigues (<\/em>Cruzeiro boss ) said: “This proposal came, yes, but it is not consistent with what we want. There was a little enquiry and they made a proposal, but it didn’t come close to what we want.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Lazy journalism at best, but perhaps even over in Brazil they know enough not to talk to the Record.<\/p>\n

But what about the player ?<\/p>\n

MATCHES OF FABR\u00cdCIO BRUNO<\/a><\/h2>\n
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