Celtic Banter Archive January 29 2019

29 Jan 2019 22:58:34
Well Bhoys and Ghirls. Not long now until we cease listening to the constant Tom Kite "exclusively" revealed by unknown dogsbody reporters. We will know shortly if we've tooled up adequately for the remainder of the season and beyond.

We all know where we've needed to strengthen, and recent news regarding injuries have only highlighted this problem. Who knows, we may pull a rabbit or two out the hat yet!

However, I'm not too confident. If things end up going Pete Tong this season I'm convinced in my opinion either Mr Rodgers or Mr Lawell will be offski.

30 Jan 2019 01:41:09
big book of cockney slang for Christmas?

30 Jan 2019 08:08:23
gerrymcgin. Hahaha. That made me laugh. Well played.

30 Jan 2019 09:52:40
Even though there have been huge criticism of our transfer strategy (or lack of it) and failure to improve from a position of strength; the severe and multiple injuries have been my biggest concern.

We have been without several key players for large parts of this season (and it's still happening) - that in comparison, no other team could have coped with. Yet have still managed to stay in front of the rest, win a trophy and stay in Europe - albeit with a bit of luck.

It's still possible to bring in one or two, but more importantly, maybe we still have time to offload - to free-up cash and make way?

30 Jan 2019 10:55:21
How is it lucky that we are still in Europe OAB?

30 Jan 2019 11:46:52
Never quite got that one "lucky to be in Europe" 9 pts gained and 2 clear points ahead of team in 3rd place 🤔.

30 Jan 2019 13:42:34
It was a bit of luck we got to go through, we all thought if we were going to qualify out of the group we were going to need to get a point against Salzburg on the last game. If it wasn’t for Rosenberg saving our bacon in the last minute it would have been a different story because Leipzig had the head to head against us. I can remember leaving the bar early in a we huff Because I thought we were out, wasn’t untell the next day I saw the paper in the shop. LUCKY BHOYS was the headline Rosenberg scores in the last minute to pick up their 1st point in the group. The smile on my face when I read at lol.

30 Jan 2019 14:08:56
Getting more points than our rivals is why we are through not luck.
We beat Rosenberg home and away. They couldn't. We had a better campaign it's that simple.

30 Jan 2019 15:36:25
I go with general theme, luck had nothing to do with it.
We got enough points from our previous games to end up with enough points to put us in second place. Not Luck
Just because it got down to the final group games to decide is neither here nor there.

29 Jan 2019 20:23:01
Just a thought but is Danny McGrain injured?

29 Jan 2019 21:08:51
Here we are Celtic not Sevco. ;)

29 Jan 2019 23:16:10
A young Danny McGrain and we wouldn't need to hear the words right back mentioned on here for the next 15 years. If Carlsburg made dreams come true 😍.

29 Jan 2019 18:39:16
Ed007 why exactly is Commper not being given a chance?
He is apparently fit, so what gives? Is it just a simple case of when he has been fit so has everyone else so down the pecking order?

{Ed007's Note - I just don't think Rodgers fancies him as a player.}

29 Jan 2019 19:51:58
If that is the case why was he brought in? It seems a lot of his own signings he doesn't fancy. Clearly the scouting system needs sorting.

29 Jan 2019 21:18:21
Yes certainly seems very strange to me, especially as I would hazard a guess he on at least 20k a week and still has 18 months still to go.

29 Jan 2019 22:08:40
Misdemeanours? Whilst on preseason the story goes.

{Ed007's Note - No it wasn't it, the story was from Dubai last winter when he joined but then why did he play against Morton after that? Twitter is full of made up bull$hit stories and most of them don't stand up to scrutiny - if the stories were true do you think Compper would have come out and openly slate Rodgers when all Rodgers would have to do was explain what supposedly happened in Dubai?}

29 Jan 2019 22:52:49
Is that correct royjac73? I thought his contract was up in the summer? I hope it's up in the summer. We need to free up some wages to invest in better quality, and he's been a massive waste of our precious resources.

30 Jan 2019 06:26:18
Yea Bhoywonder I'm certain he signed a 2 and a half year contract, Maybe Ed007 can confirm this or not?

{Ed007's Note - Compper's contract runs to June 2020.}

30 Jan 2019 18:39:31
If only we had him on loan at the time, there's the benefit of loans right there.

29 Jan 2019 17:01:13
Thoughts on morra’s team?

Bain
Lustig
Jozo
Ajer
Brown
McGregor
Christie
Forrest
Burke
Sinclair.

29 Jan 2019 17:12:02
Need a left back bud.

29 Jan 2019 17:16:34
Oh and Emilio at left back am determined to give team a man advantage so I am that’s twice now I’ve left someone out haha.

30 Jan 2019 05:08:41
Same full back pairing that were there in 2012! No wonder we r struggling in defence and now looks like our best CB is gone 😭.

30 Jan 2019 07:32:32
Another man down.

29 Jan 2019 14:21:49
I know we still have 2 more days until the window closes, but does anyone think Lawwell will write a cheque for a defender? NO, me neither.
I see the apologists for the board are on already saying "we do not need any defenders" DESPITE Ralston injured, Benkovic injured, Boyata (not effin interested) Tierney injured. How long has the board known about our defensive problems 18 months at least, even Brendan said at beginning of January that "this window was important" and STILL no defensive cover.
So who to blame, well US the fans, because we let Lawwell away with doing the minimum, and sometimes not even that much. Pedro has let the fans down on so many occasions, not just with lack of signings, but on Resoltion 12, on the cheating referees, all Lawwell wants is to count his fat bonuses each year, until his UEFA job comes upthanks to the SFA, and we call him a CELTIC MAN.
All the apologists on here are ruining our club. Lawwell has taken our club BACKWARDS.

29 Jan 2019 15:02:38
I'm sure we will sign someone even if it is just a loan.

At the end of the day we will have a list of targets that we will pursue and this may or may not come to fruition. Personally, I don't want to sign someone just for the sake of it, even if it means not getting anyone. Would much prefer to wait until we get the right player in.

29 Jan 2019 15:04:13
I must admit to thinking that Lawell would defend and stand up for the club when he was given the SFA position, but it has just turned out the same 'hear no evil see no evil' as the Jack McGinn days.
The amount of injury (especially long term) problems we have had, has been unbelievable and although we have such a big squad, I have said on here many times, that too many are not good enough to rely on for any run of games and there should have been a clear-out before now; because as it stands, our beloved board have BR over a barrel.
However, they could always try to make a last minute, fast buck on the likes of Ntcham or A N Other and bring in a defender? Aye Right!

29 Jan 2019 14:44:18
Tim av been banging on about signing defenders for ages, fed up with folk saying the squads bloated, it doesn't matter we still need quality at rb and now cb if benk out for season, it's not a case of if it's a must or Pedro is letting Down not only Brendan but the thousands of fans world wide, He's always boasting about the money we make and have in the bank and says all profits go back into the football department but that plainly isn't true. c'mon Pedro 2 days to go.

{Ed007's Note - Firstly, I do think a CB will be brought in on loan if Benkovic's injury is as bad as been reported but we have a £52 million wage bill and we can't just keep adding to that without causing problems even with CL qualification.
The Club have been actively trying to bring in a RB all window - AND last summer when Rodgers had Lawwell chasing a player that had told us he didn't want to come to Scotland - now we're down to third or fourth on the list with Toljan so at least the fans will be able to moan that he wasn't first choice if he signs or blame Lawwell for not paying £10 million for Castagne (another player that didn't fancy coming to Scotland) or Rodgers first choice CB Scott McKenna? If we signed McKenna for the £8-10 million Aberdeen are looking for the fans would be on here slating Lawwell for it.
So what exactly has Lawwell done wrong? Rodgers himself has stated he has final say on all signings - yes even Shved. Lawwell didn't force Boyata to stay did he? What about Rodgers previous CB purchases in Hendry and Compper? Even after Rodgers f***ing up his previous defensive buys (Gamboa???) Lawwell still sanctioned a loan move for Benkovic.}

29 Jan 2019 15:14:20
Sorry Tim on for ten 2 trebles b2b and most likely a 3rd euro football after Xmas and that’s us gone backwards? Apologist I’m not realist definitely.

29 Jan 2019 15:14:28
Yes I do, I still think 1 or 2 players will be confirmed.

29 Jan 2019 15:16:30
Well said Timmalloy, as a club our poor recruitment process has enabled the other lot to get closer to us. We should have been so far ahead of them by now 10in a row would have been a foregone conclusion. We’re screaming for a rightback yet it seems impossible to get one, why is that? Either BR doesn’t think we need one as he’s got 2 internationals (his quote) or the players he’s identifying PL won’t pay the money! All bull during transfer windows.

29 Jan 2019 15:55:58
Recruitment has not been the problem as we still have the best team and best squad in Scotland by a considerable amount. Our problem has been injuries and some players not performing for one reason or another.

29 Jan 2019 16:29:29
Tim, whilst I applaud your passion, your take on what is happening is far too narrow. The Board of CFC rule what happens, communications, strategy and importantly Finances. The CEO can advise, even cagole but cannot instruct. So in future get your concerns off to Lawell, but please copy in all Board members as its they who call the shots.
As for BR he is doing a fantastic job, on all fronts, so his input really is crucial for they way forward; not the panic and fake news spewed by the Media and sadly some of of our supporters.

29 Jan 2019 16:36:56
cannot argue with that ed the squad is bloated with bang average players at 1 to 2 mill mark just think if he went a wee bit more we get better quality although it's not always the case.

29 Jan 2019 17:34:00
The 50 odd million wage bill is the real problem here. As Ed says we cannot go on just adding to it. Until we get the likes of Hendry Allan DeVries Compper Hayes Gamboa Boyata Benyu Mulumba and maybe Kouassi and Biton (although I've got hope for Kouassi yet) off the wage bill, it will be loans for the foreseeable future and so it should be. I would say at the moment we own around 11 real proven quality players Tierney Ajer Brown Ntcham Rogic McGregor Forrest Christie Sinclair Eddy and Griff if he can get back to what we know. Fingers crossed Bayo can be added too. Our real problem in the transfer market is convincing players that are better than what we've got to come and play in Scotland . Hope we've learned a lesson to stop signing mediocrity and handing them 4 year deals.

29 Jan 2019 17:48:28
Tim is it Lawwell's fault we have a squad full of players who are nowhere near good enough? Is it Lawwell's fault we have brought a full backline? De Vries, Gamboa, Commper, Hendry, Izzy? Apologists as you put it😂😂 Nah I just say what I think whereas you seem scared to criticise BR as if he is some sort of messiah! BR has well and truly been backed but its apologists like yourself who turn a blind eye to his woeful record in the transfer market and his/ his scouting staff's appaling lack of ability to spot a player.
I said on here last week his childish point scoring in his interview's won't do him any favours especially with Bhoys like me who see's the situation for what it is. Let me ask you a question Tim, how much of the clubs money has BR wasted so far?

29 Jan 2019 18:22:20
I thought the wage bill was closer to 60 million ed?
Rogers not backed 🤔
He's signed

2 goalkeepers
5 defenders
11 midfielders
2 strikers

20 players in 2 1/ 2 seasons
On top of that he demanded a new playing surface which cost millions, several improvements to Lennox town and got both.

Gone backwards? 🤔
Can't see how that's true when we have won the last 7 trophies and qualified for Europe after Xmas for twice in a row.

29 Jan 2019 18:37:04
No club that I can think of gets every signing they make spot on, there mistakes at every club.

29 Jan 2019 18:50:20
The bottom line is we have been dross apart from a few games in the first half of the season and that's why the league's close at present. We will kick on and win the league by double figures.

29 Jan 2019 19:34:06
This seems to be one of those eternal discussions as there is no right answer and depends on everyones starting position. It seems to me that we have our beliefs and then we juggle the statistics to confirm our beliefs.
I believe that the board and Lawwell are operating the biscuit tin mentality and are not backing the manager to put together the team he wants. Now I can quote the McGinn fiasco, how we have lost out on players as we won't pay a extra couple of million, a weak defence which hasn't been strengthened etc
I believe that the club is in a stronger position because of Lawwell. He is not a football manager but a CEO who runs the club like a business to generate a profit and for sure is very competent and successful at his job. Who could have even dreamed just a few yyears back that we would have a manager of the calibre of BR at Celtic or that we would pay 9 million for a kid just starting out on his professional career (a kid who buy the way may find it difficult to get back into the starting eleven due to the recent loan signings) . Its obvious that Lawwell can't release the money to bring in Joshua Kimmich or Dani Alves etc. Even if we had money to burn does anyone really expect world class players to want to play in Scotland. I think our greatest assets are the young players who come through our system - KT, Calmac, Forrest, Mikey Johnson etc. As others have said BR has brought in quite a few players and yet the team is largely what he inherited,
As I said no easy answer but we have to trust.

29 Jan 2019 19:38:52
He's definitely made some bad signings, but then he's obviously been advised as he's said himself he can't scout himself, so he relies on there Intel. abd he seems to be asked to shop in the lower end of the market and yes u can pick up gems but your more likely to pick up a dud, so maybe they've learned from your commpers and hayes and are showing patience much to our annoyance.

29 Jan 2019 19:47:50
Timalloy, to be an apologist there has to be something to apologise for and given our recent performance on and off the pitch, there is not, so I’ll file your post along with a load of other recent posts, in the ‘pish’ folder.

29 Jan 2019 08:18:32
Reports big Ben's season is finished.

29 Jan 2019 08:43:58
Saw that too kev. That would be a disaster. All we need now is boyata to leave in the last transfer day and no right back in. We if PL doesn't get in a least on defender then he is a joke. The next few days could go a long way to deciding the title.

29 Jan 2019 09:19:20
That would be a huge blow as he has, not only been our best defender, but makes the other central defenders beside him play better.
Can't get my head round how many serious injuries we have picked up this season - especially at the back and even though we have cover, it's more quantity than quality in that area particularly and I really can't see us get anyone better in with so little time left.
However, I am sure the club will be scouring the leagues for at least a loan or two, or BR and the support will be very disappointed.

29 Jan 2019 09:30:45
That’s a big blow.

29 Jan 2019 10:01:26
Very easy to blame the board but if a player does not fancy coming then PL can do nothing about that.
Do we throw good money for an average defender?
How many of us have looked at some players and thought. what a waste of money?
We have to be realistic and accept that we shop in the Lidl range not Harrods. Not because of the club but because of the league we play in.
The only time we will ever be considered by Messi etc. is when they have finished in the top flights and, like many others, suddenly spout about how they have always wanted to play for Celtic.
I am disappointed in the lack of players but I am also not wanting us throwing cash away.

29 Jan 2019 12:32:02
Jeezo tiny Tim messi 😂😂another winger it’s the defence that needs sorting haha 😂.

29 Jan 2019 00:49:45
With our CB crisis I really hope simunovic can find his past form. In my opinion it looks like a confidence issue. Honestly will be surprised if we sign a CB or RB this window. That's all we need for a solid team to get us through to end of season.

29 Jan 2019 05:53:50
The quicker the summer rolls round hopefully the better as I don’t see our defensive problems being sorted this window now. The whole CB things really does baffle me, boyata and his agent ( up until now, and doesn’t look like changing) have maintained they won’t be signing a new deal, yet we’re still sitting through the whole month of January with not one CB being linked with the club. I’ve said before and everyone knows January isn’t the best month for great deals but surely from before last summer right up until now we could’ve sourced a defender on a par with boyatas level if not better that could have came in this month? I’m happy with Ajer although he’s got a bit to go yet, jozo for me isn’t Brendan’s cuppa tea or he’d feature more and benkovic will be gone come the summer. I know some on here will defend the signing policy and I know we’ve got a big job getting rid of excess players, reducing the wage bill etc, but we seem content on bringing in projects left right and centre yet in an area that’s caused concern for long enough the lack of movement there totally baffles me.

29 Jan 2019 10:27:27
Garry,
I have no doubt we have approached players and been turned down. Unlike some, we do most of our business in private and, for the most part, it stays that way. Greedy players and agents let slip about interest from clubs to try and get others interested and they are looking for the best pay day.
If WE can see our weaknesses then you can be sure that BR and PL know them as well and are trying to do something about it.
Our geography is a problem when trying to attract quality players and that is a fact we have to live with.

29 Jan 2019 11:14:18
Just hope now benkovic is out, we get CB in asap whether another loan or permanent deal.