Celtic Rumours Archive December 07 2011

07 Dec 2011 13:19:21
Apparently we have taken Fulham's Algerian international central defender Rafik Halliche on trial.

CELTIC have taken Fulham's Algerian international central defender Rafik Halliche on trial.

The 25-year-old was given the chance to seal a deal in the bounce game against Hibs at Lennoxtown today.

Halliche is under contract at Craven Cottage for another 18 months, but Fulham boss Martin Jol is willing to offload him.

And, if the imposing, 6ft 2in defender impresses Neil Lennon, he could be brought to Parkhead as soon as the transfer window re-opens in 3 weeks.
HH
/BB {Ed007's Note -

Have we ever had a player on trial that we have kept and has turned out to be a grest signing? The word trial to me means they aren't convinced by the player..I detest trials the scouting system should know if a players is good enough...Markiebhoy.

Lennon seems to be obsessed with Trials at the moment!

If he played he helped keep a clean sheet with a 3 nil win,scott brown with a goal and bangura with 2

Hes not good enough.Check his stats.

Larssons stats wasn't great ither! Neither was lubo, give guys a chance

Ok lets ignore the stats and give the EPL failures a chance too. Neither Lubo nor Henke failed in the EPL.. how you can compare those legends with this guy is beyond me.

I want comparing them, larsson was a nobody before he came to us, give the guy a chance to prove himself in a position we are really need to improve

Mate Larsson was a World Cup star for Sweden in 1994. I think Sweden lost narrowly to Brazil (Winners) in the semi final and eventually Sweden finished in third place. He scored two goals one in the play-off against Bulgaria for 3rd place.Have your opinions but (and its only my opinion) you shouldn't spout off about guys like Henke. Also in your previous post it looked very like you were comparing Henke and Lubo to that clown from Fulham.

FFS all I said was give the guy a chance

Most trialists are players without clubs and there's a reason they don't have clubs. This guy can't get in the Fulham team so how are we meant to check him out? I think this is a decent trial that may come to something.

If there was a rumour we were bidding for him you lot would be jumping up and down and saying send them the cheque but as its a trial u think he's not up 4it.

Richybhoy {Ed007's Note - The fee Fulham paid for him was undisclosed at the time but it is believed to be between £2.5 - £3.5 million and that was only a year past in August.}

I dont think theres anything wrong with the trial system . I seem to remember signing a guy called Rafael for 5 mil just by seeing him on video and he was Sheidt . So for me if Lenny gets to see a player in the flesh and decides hes not gonna sign him so be it . As the boy above said if we went to Fulam and said theres 2 mil for the big lad everyone would be givin it yasss .
Celticmatt

Could be a great find. Fulham paid around £2m - £3m for him 18 months ago. Not settled in their team but could be great here. If we sign him then we have to give him a chance. Sick of everyone on here running the players down

By all accounts the lad from fulham inpressed the coaching staff at lennoxtown , seemingly very quick for a big man......

I smell desperation in the air. Lets look at the facts. This guy has played 21 times for his country. He has not played much at all at club level. He has impressed in one trial. (Is there mention of his display on the official Celtic website?) He did not play in a competitive match against for example Rennes or Athletico or even Rangers. It was against a Hibs select team as far as I am aware. He has hardly kicked a ball for Fulham in the year or so he has been there. Suddenly if you dare mention caution you are running a player down. I admit I called him a clown however that was in the context of being mentioned and compared to Henke and Lubo. Sure give players a chance to impress but lets put things into a proper context and not get too excited about players who have failed categorically to impress in the English top flight. Believe me if he was playing regularly for Fulham I would be as excited as many on this thread appear to be.

I'm certainly not running anybody down. I'm simply expressing an opinion on trials. Not an opinion on the particular player on trial. As I said we have had countless players on trial and they have come to nothing. I think most of us agree that CB is priority to strenghten, I hope the player we choose to strenghten the team in such an important position st such an important time is not a trialist who failed to make it at fulham for whatever reason. If they want to give the boy s chance then fine but we still have to sign a proven quality CB that could mean the difference between us winning the league or not. Not the time or position to be taking a gamble which it certainly would be. No disrespect to the player intended. Markiebhoy

He got injured at Fulham and missed a lot of games through that, they now have a settled partnership at c/back (hangeland and Senderos) so its difficult, plus he was a purchase by the previous management...and by the way..it was Hibs first 11 he played against

Is that the one boughera keeps out the team {Ed007's Note - No it must be a different one. Halliche played every game for Algeria in the last WC and ACN. You must be mixed up.}