Celtic Banter Archive July 19 2014

19 Jul 2014 21:48:41
whats happening with Tony Watt? Are his Celtic days over?

19 Jul 2014 22:39:39
He tweeted tonight he wasnt in germany cause he's got a slight thigh strain. He played 90 mins for reserves the same night we played in Iceland.

19 Jul 2014 16:55:26
Watching the Dresden game what a shower of rubbish! If we play like this we have no hope of making the group stages!

I know, and we should have sold vvd after two pre season games last year

There has been many new managers appointed to many clubs with existing playing squads much weaker for the task ahead than what Deila has inherited.

In the name of christ get a grip! It was a pre season friendly with two different teams in each half. I have seen enough movement, tactics and awareness to give me faith that ronny is pushing us in the right direction. He has to see the whole squad then source and find the right talent. So wake up smell the roses and have a little belief. HH

21 Jul 2014 10:15:20
I disagree, I saw some really crisp, quick passing moves and probably the final ball let us down a few times. We got caught a few times in the wider positions because the system being played asks the full backs to effectively become wingers when we are attacking so when it breaks down we are potentially open to the counter attack but strangely enough the goal we conceded came from a poor back pass. Was good to see a lot of the young boys getting their chance on this tour and I think we will see a lot more of them over the season as I think RDJCJK will be looking at 2 teams should we make the group stages, what Lennon should have done last year. Give the manager a chance to see the boys in competitive action, in training and he has already said it is his way or the highway, so it is down to the players. I like the way we are pressing the game higher and it is wonderful to see them not lamp a big punt up the park form kick off's, could never understand why you would coach that to a pro football team, bad enough even allowing a kids team to do that. Also with JC thee the keepers will be told to pass the ball out a lot more, so we won't see FF kicking the ball into the stand every week. I think the future is bright, the change of style will take a little bit of time to implement and there will be some changes of personnel but once it is in place it will be great to watch.

{Ed007's Note - So now we have John Collins - GK coach! Is there no end to this mans talents, he's fast becoming our very own answer to Chuck Norris. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's SitupMan!}

19 Jul 2014 17:18:34
Here is how I see us at the moment. I know it was only a friendly but a decent tea could easily take 3 or 4 from us. I think we are bad need of a quality CH beside Virgil as Efe gives me nightmares are will cost us the CL if not sorted. Also, I think we need a left back to replace Izzy not compete with him. We need a full back who can primarily defend. In central midfield I think we are OK with Broony, Johansen, Biton and Henderson. Up front and in the forward areas we need some class badly. We need a creative player who can open up a defence with one pass, we need pace and quality on the wings (only one as I feel we have one in Forrest if we can get him fit) and a quality striker as we simply don't have one. In terms of the kids, I like many want to see them get a chance but the reality is that only McGregor and Henderson look good enough to me. We need to spend some money on this NOW as I don't think our current team will get us to the CL. Finally, we need to trim numbers to create space and money for new arrivals. I would sell the youngsters who are not going to make it and the likes of Balde, Stokes, Kayal, Watt (although if he screwed the nut I think he could offer something but I think its too late for him now) and Boeriggter. Add Sammy, Moyokulo etc then this would free up to £100k per week of wages almost for a few quality additions. Honestly, if we don't do this and knowing Lawwell I don't think we will then I don't think we will make the CL and crowds will fall. I get the feeling Lawwell justs wants to get through this season as he reckons the return of them will mean the returns of big ST sales. I reckon he is playing a dangerous game taking us fans for granted like this. WE deserve some money spent now with 2 years CL money, all the money from player sales and the additional money we all plough into the club every year. What is everyone's thoughts on this?

Re the kids. marty, this is the first real sustained chance a celtic manager has given them since perhaps stein, and from one pre season of only half a dozen games we have two who look like becoming regulars, I also think oconnell has looked good, hopefully we will see more over the course of the season, I agree some don't look like making it like twardzik, atajic, even mgeoch.but until they play we don't know, and yes its the so called experienced regulars we need too cull like balde, stokes, mulgrew, boerittger, kayal,

Totally agree DRB. At least Ronny is giving them a chance so we know and if we can get 2 regulars from our current crop then we will have done extremely well and saved a fortune in the meantime. We must however supplement this with a few quality additions. If we don't sign a few quality players again this year then I feel it will be the last straw for many like you and I who plough our hard earned into the club. Not in terms ot supporting the team but in terms of supporting the board

Do you not think that Celtic have always tried to buy quality. For example Virgil, Johanson, Pukki . The thing is what may appear to be quality often turn out to be piss.
Unfortunately playing big money doesn't necessary mean we will always get quality.

No actually, I think Celtic ALWAYS look at potential and never stray from this. We deserved some proven quality once in a while. Celtic haven't pushed the boat out for proven quality since the days of Hartson and Sutton. What did they get then when they did that? A quality performer for the club. I understand the economics but we must stray from this policy of 'potential' once in a while. A bit of quality will help those with potential fulfil that and will give us a fighting chance of not getting spanked in the CL

The buying of Hartson Sutton Lennon etc. although very welcome at the time very nearly put us into serious financial difficulties and we really have only recovered our finances in the last year or so. Surely we have purchased too many players who simply haven't turned out good enough but I wouldn't fault the tactics involved in our transfer dealings .

You are missing the point mate. I'm not asking us to spend money like we did on Hartson/Sutton every time but once in a while it should be expected for the right player. You are obviously satisfied with mediocrity but we deserve better. We must have made a killing in recent years as the financial results show and we deserve the odd £5m/£6m player who is going to get us excited and get us off our seats. We can still spend this on a young talent but just a better quality young talent and therefore make our money back and more. We are still a big club but the board act like also rans at times

The problem is as I see it that we could pay £5/6 million even £8 million and more and the player could still let us down and not perform . Throughout the EPL there are numerous examples of players purchased for over £20 m and even more than twice that who have turned out to be dudes . Two examples Torres and Carroll, neither worth a fraction of money paid . I don't accept mediocracy but I want us to pay £2/3 million and get players worth £8/10 million in a year or two.

We have bought enough £2m players up front recently (Pukki, Balde, Griffiths) and the result has been the same. Sometimes you have to take a risk and go the extra mile. If we are spending £5m or £6m on a player the likelihood is that they are better. We just need to make sure we scout enough to be as sure as we can before forking this out and again I would always do this on someone 25 or under so there is a sell on value. Someone worth £5m at 23 could potentially be worth £20m in 3 years if he is successful. And I repeat, I don't expect us to spend this all the time but on occasion you need to push the boat out. We haven't done this for some time and I think, like many others, that we need that now as this team needs a real injection of class and quality

19 Jul 2014 16:18:15
whole new 11 for celts this half bid fridges first game

19 Jul 2014 15:59:40
commons off injured, looks like dead leg

19 Jul 2014 15:07:31
no stokes, a result of his petulance?

19 Jul 2014 14:27:31
Gordon starting

19 Jul 2014 11:46:05
Got a ticket for Tuesday's CL qualifier if anyone wants it, can't make it due to work. I stay in Central Glasgow - first come basis.

Javier Aquino on loan possibly, is he good as I can't say I've heard of him or another cheap deal