Celtic Banter Archive August 13 2013

13 Aug 2013 22:57:12
I thought Mcghees statement about how his goal against England meant more than winning a European trophy was crap . But now our very own captain is saying that leading out Scotland tomorrow will be bigger than leading out Celtic in the last 16 of the CL . Please . I know they're trying to drum up some excitement for some meaningless friendly but some of the things being said are just laughable . DH {Ed007's Note - I didn't even know Mark McGhee had scored against England! I will definitely be giving the shambles of a match a wide berth tomorrow night, I'd rather wax my eyebrows off than watch that.}

Don't know who you are or what your nationality is mate but if your Scottish go and have a word with yourself. Don't personally agree with Broony on that comment he made but I can't understand why any football fan would go out of there way to avoid watching there nation playing against its biggest rivals. Fair enough we are pi*h but they are the a shower of sh*te aswell. Just not as poor as we are and we are coming off the back of a tremendous result away to Croatia.

If its a Celtic and therefore Irish thing then that's even worse if your not infact Irish. There's no one loves Celtic more than me and i'm proud of our irish ties but i'm Scottish and i'm proud of it.

Your entitled to your opinion of course mate even though it winds me up a wee bit lol {Ed007's Note - You're right, you don't know me and I have no inclination to explain myself to an anonymous Gilfnard like you. Do you need a See You Jimmy hat to be 'Scottish and I'm proud of it'? I am hoping Wayne Rooney has a good game though.}

Well I'm Australian and I hope Scotland hammers the Rafael right out of that mob. I hope we see them in Rio, I'm dead sick of all this success they're having in all sports at the moment. It's just not cricket!

Melb Bhoy

Should be an honour to anyone with Scottish ties to lead out your country against anyone, not just England and off course it should mean more than a last 16 CL game. Is that how far we have fallen that a last 16 game is such a milestone. And yes I am as big a Celtic supporter as the last guy.

I did not relise I supported and was patriotic towards scotland untill I moved to wales. I would never have supported them when I was younger

Peter Cardiff

Broony is Scottish and was not a Celtic fan as a kid so I have no problem with what he said. I won't be watching as out with Ireland I don't really care for internationals. I will dip in and out but I suspect most Scottish fans might be watching from behind the sofa as this could get nasty.

Dont get me wrong they have a shout, Hodgkins is like Craig Broon a bit scared to let teams loose, but if they really go for the throat it could be like the under 21's. green jhedi

How can a friendly be more important than anything? If Broony really said this in this context he needs to have a look at himself, and Lennon should be having a word.

I could accept a scotland v england WC qualifier or something but not a friendly, who cares. Personally I don't think any Celtic players should be playing in international friendlies 1 week before a CL qualifier anyway, that goes for the Scots boys, Sami, Lustig, Kayal and whoever else is away.

I couldn't care less about the result tonight, ireland v wales, or scotland v england, its insignificant compared to our result next week. getting into the CL is far more important than british isles bragging rights.

I agree with Broony. It is most boys dream on its own to lead out your country in any match but to lead out the Scotland team at Wembley to play England is something special. Good luck to Scotland tonight, I can't wait for the game.

I think scott brown said leading out Scotland at Wembley would be right up there along with celtic playing in the last 16 of champions league i'm not a fan of friendlies but will watch the game ED007 not a nice thing to call someone a gilfnard we are all entitled to have an opinion

snootiebhoy {Ed007's Note - It wasn't an opinion though, he was trying to judge me and tell me what I should and should not be doing. If a crowd of drunken middle-aged men want to run around playing Braveheart and bringing embarrassment on Scotland where ever they go, that's entirely up to them.}

13 Aug 2013 21:45:42
No rumour, but ed or jb is there any where I can get a replica Celtic kit for kids but in pink and white? Thanks

Gemmell1967

Anyone know if these are available. I too would like to buy a kids size pink and white Celtic replica kit. The GAA have it for all counties I think all the soccer teams are missing an opportunity to sell more kits

Brian DerryCelt

I seen one on the superstore website mate, but it's not got badge or that it just says celtic.

13 Aug 2013 10:32:29
Hi Ed just wondering what's your thoughts for the next round do you think we have enough up front to get through the tie, without me losing any more hair.
I still think we need a proven goalscorer and a comanding CB {Ed007's Note - I genuinely think we do have enough to get through to the group stages Pedro. I'm not saying I agree with not getting a CF in (so far) but I would be quietly confident of going through if we did just go with the current squad.}

13 Aug 2013 18:42:45
Lets be honest here Bhoys and Ghirls as far as Celtic, any new signing will be 4th or 5th choice on the list

Alfie won't sign as we won't offer enough, Capuano won't sign as we will again not offer enough.

Most likely Billy Sharp who is simply guff and Lowry from that Millwall team that has been horsed in the first 2 games, oh and by the way he scored an OG and can't defend.

Very unhappy Bhoy here

So all of a sudden you believe the tabloids? Would that be their well known love of Celtic or their stunning track record on our transfers that caused this? We are financially secure because we have limits and we stick to them. Remember the last team that tried to buy their way into the CL? What were they called again, rangers was it? let's just get behind the players we have and whoever comes in. don't be fooled by the money we have earned from outgoing players we play in a cash deficient league.It's a balancing act and we have done okay so far. green jhedi

Agree gj, we have lots to be positive about right now, the papers, especially the record, and sky are only interested in any negative slant they can put on anything to do with us, it seems to be catching! I believe we will sign Finnboggason, for me it may be as simple as ensuring he has a visa for next week before announcing it, or he may want guaranteed CL before committing.
Kev T there will be a list of players, The ones the club really want may only be willing to come if CL is certain, The 4th and 5th choices may come regardless! would you rather we signed 4th or 5th choice today because we can? or go with what we have next week, qualify, and then sign our first or second choice? A lot of people are losing sleep over these dilemmas but I suspect PL/NL will be losing more then everyone on here put together.

Totally agree, but I think they should /should have signed griffiths

GJ, you are typical of a fan who has fallen for the board propaganda and the P&l speak.
Here's how the season will go-
1: knocked out by boart and little interest in group stage of Europa- income. Minimal
2: qualify for CL, current squad inadequate, fail miserably
3. Fans lose interst, reflects in domestic attendance as lge assured- further lost revenue
Stevo dundee

Well done Steve that's exactly how it will go.45000 at unfurling of the flag and it will only get worse.fans get ripped of all the time., ajw

@Stevo: No propaganda mate just common sense. For example, £12.5 from the sale of Victor.Just how much after deductions do you think we actually banked? We have to balance our money, something we do very well, and be clever in our buying policy.On your points:

1: Little interest in Europa? So if we get third place in the group you would have no interest in the Europa league? As for minimal income, I think you are underestimating this.If added to CL money it would be decent.There is also the chance for the team to reach the semi, or dare I say it the final.Think of the experience gained from this.

2: Fail miserably? Where do you think we realistically are in European terms? Juventus Showed the us.We are at best a last sixteen team. Bayern won 7-0 on agg v Barca.What would they have done to us?

3:Fans lose interest? I don't know about you mate but I will never lose interest in Celtic.I don't know your age but I suffered the 9 in a row years of dead rangers.I did not lose interest then and can assure you I won't ever.

@5/ 45,000 is a very healthy attendance during the holiday period mate. We are in the middle of an enormous recession and some people have to pick and choose their game.It was also at an awkward time.Fans ripped off? £100 off your season ticket?. green jhedi {Ed001's Note - just a little thing, most clubs will tell you that a good Europa League run costs them money. It earns less than all the transport costs, bonuses to players etc, oddly enough.}

ED001: I have read that to be honest.I think though it is an English thing as some of the attendances at Europa game were surprisingly low to me. I was stressing the point of when added to a CL group payment it adds up. Cheers. green jhedi

13 Aug 2013 16:56:20
Disappointed we didn't sign anyone yesterday and unless we make a wildrd signing within the next 48hrs I doubt we will have enough time to sort out a visa for them to travel and play next Tuesday. Its a bit of a major gamble the board have taken in my opinion.

Not a gamble mate it's driven by cash. green jhedi

13 Aug 2013 14:52:46
In regards to a CB, what about Scott Dann from Blackburn? Surely could get him for about £3.5m, £4m tops? Would be a great signing in my opinion and at 26 could still have a sell on value in a year or two if he does well?

8 million for him and Rhodes would be a good bit of business.
Gordybhoy44

C'mon mate.Four million for a journeyman centre back? Add the wages and his age and it is money down the tube.Young Frazer will be back soon enough and we have Virgil and Mouyoloko and other who can cover. green jhedi

13 Aug 2013 14:45:02
When I think of Alfie Finbogasson, a player I really want to see playing for Celtic, I reallyyy can't help but think of similar situations in recent transfer windows gone past.

Steven Fletcher (offered "cash and a player" instead of the £3-4m Hibs wanted), James McCarthy (offered £500k instead of the £1.2m he went for), Johnny Russell (offered £500k when Dundee Utd wanted £1m, he eventually went for closer to £750k) are a few who come to mind. See a pattern developing here?!

My faith in the board putting their hands in their pockets and giving us what we want has been gone for a long time now. Quick to demand top dollar for our best players, reluctant to pay top dollar for other clubs best players!

Especially when the club has just netted £20m from transfers and have earned a huge CL pay-off for last season.
The performances against Elfesborg were well below par and we were lucky to win the Ross County game.
(The jags humped them on Sat)
The penny pinching has to stop and I am not for one minute saying we should splurge wads of cash.
But if a valuation is reasonable and there is a chance of a profitable sell-on or indeed the player will fit into the team immediately, then just pay the price and stop fannying about.
We are taking a big risk playing 3 CL qualifiers with a depleted squad and failing to replace quality players.
We apparently need to be in the group stages regularly to stay in the black so investment in the team rather than dismantling the team would seem the sensible solution.
The manager/club are saying one thing and doing another at present simply because we are hesitating and you know what they say about 'He who hesitates. '

Jungle Jim

Fletcher wanted to go south for a start.McCarthy I agree, we should have had him but Mowbray did not fancy him and Lenny clearly did not want Russell. hardly the boards fault really. green jhedi

13 Aug 2013 22:11:44
Totally agree OP, we are famous for not pushing home our superiority from a position of strength. I remember Jan 2009 when we were about 7 points clear but in need of a striker but the board wouldn't sanction another half a million to secure Fletcher, we went on to blow 4 in a row that year. Mc Carthy is another player we baulked at the asking price, Fletcher went on to be sold for 12 million and Mc Carthy is rumoured to be going for 15 million. If we don't spend now with the position we're in we never will, which makes you question the ambition of the club . Stevie

McCarthy was Let go from celtic as a kid

14 Aug 2013 09:10:14
@2 - I can always remember reading Scott Brown saying Fletch wanted the move to Celtic, and upon a quick look online can find this story immediately when you type in "Fletcher Celtic"

13 Aug 2013 11:16:28
once again our board have dragged their heels, it's a really poor show by PL and CO, the amount of money we have brought in in the last couple of years (by my reckoning we made 20m CL, at least 6m CL ticket sales, 28m in player sales, ki, Juárez, hooper, wilson and vic. and we should soon land at least another 15m. so that adds up to at least 63m. and also got shot of all the dead wood in the team.) and they won't cough up 5m for a quality striker. I have said many a time that our board lacks ambition, its just not good enough and it's about time they award the great celtic support with a top signing and stop the penny pinching, no more loans and lastminute.com signings. PL & CO it's time to step up and back lenny!
what's your thought on this ED?

BarryBhoy

13 Aug 2013 10:59:45
Just been catching up on the posts after the Dublin weekend. It would appear that the board, and Mr Lawwell in particular, are copping some flak.My question is why?

I think we sometimes need to have a reality check as Celtic supporters.By most standards we are a huge club.There are very few who could challenge our fan base and the reputation of our supporters.Our history and the way we were founded is also very unique but that is not enough in the modern game.To put it simply we play in the wrong country.

Imagine you are a young player with ambition and who has a choice of clubs to play for.Would the Scottish league really enter your thinking? Think about it.Scotland, Germany, Italy or England.I would hazard a guess we would be fourth choice in that list.Lost there.So let's remove ambition from the equation.

What if you then assume financial gain is your main motive.Again, we would be last in that list of offered countries.This is the crux of it.We do not know what certain players terms are.I was surprised to hear, if it is true, that we upped our offer for Finbogasson to £4m. bearing in mind we have already spent around the same.This is hardly penny pinching.This is not to say we don't need certain players, in my opinion we do, but it might be a case of waiting a bit longer.

To entice a player to Scotland a lot of factors have to fit. Take big Derk for instance.Highly rated a few years ago but suffered a niggly back injury.Before this we would have had no chance of signing him. Now with something to prove, and wanting to play, he sees Celtic as a great move.At twenty six and on good wages he will win trophies and play in Europe regularly.He also knows he will play in front of a passionate and large group of supporters.This is an attractive proposition to this player. But realistically if say West Ham fancied him would he be here?

This is not a slight on Derk, who I believe might be just what we need, but more a pat on the back for Mr Park for finding him.Lets trust him.Yes there have been signings who have not worked out, but the deal for Victor erases them.We play in a financially poor league.We have to be clever on what and who we spend our cash on.So far it is working well and we are still a work in progress as far as I am concerned.

Finally, Amido Balde. Lots of praise for the big man following his goal at he weekend.But if the truth be told he really done very little else.What was promising was he does look like a handful.He has lots to learn, showing for a pass was the obvious one for me, but I think there is a beast in there.A special word for young Irvine.Very highly rated by Lenny the boy done himself no favours against Hibs last year.Having said that the team shape and performance did not help him, but against Liverpool he was a stand out.Always showing and always looking to get the ball forward he deserved the praise he received afterwards. There will be hiccups along the way, I have no doubt of that, but the futures bright when you look at the average age of the finishing eleven in Dublin.green jhedi

All the more reason to push the boat out a wee bit when a player like finboggason becomes available as he has already stated he would seriously consider playing for Celtic. We should have got in there quick before the so called big leagues as its not going to be that often a player of his calibre will consider Scotland.
Fitzy1888

Totally agree GJ it seems a lot of our fans have already judged this transfer window as a failure by the board I personally think we only need one player to progress to the group stages, and after that we can register as many as we want for the group stages, that's if we get any new faces in before the window closes, the wildcard for now should be enough to get us through and I will judge the board when the window closes.Macca

GJ I agree with a lot of your post and a lot of it makes sense. I am annoyed with 2 things.

1 PL saying at season ticket renewal time that we would buy 4 million pound players if they would add value. Never going to happen.

2. Lennon telling fans all the time that there will be new players and nothing has happened. Why not just say "we are constantly working on deals but nothing is immanent"?

I honestly think they should have pushed the boat for finnbogassen not just because I rate him but its an entertainment business and fans need to be entertained they need a team that will have them excited not just selling their best players and keeping their fingers crossed that everything will be hunky dory hail hail mm

@2:On point 1: last I heard we had bid £4m for Finbogasson.I also think that is around our very top limit.With his age he would certainly add value but I posted earlier, the player needs to want to come and the wages need to be right. Sometimes we can't control every aspect of a transfer.

Point 2:Is it not a bit early to bring that up mate? plenty time to go in the window and who knows, deals might have fell through.I just think we are looking for too much too soon regarding transfers. don't get me wrong, if we do not invest I will be first in line to criticize!. green jhedi

13 Aug 2013 10:08:47
As we all need cheering up because of no big signing yet, I thought I would share this quote attributed to someone inside the newco club in govan.
"Craig Mather has been given a breakdown of where the £22m was spent, including players wages of £10.2m, other bonuses of £2m, current running costs £5.8m and the one I loved £2.2m
on other costs including ACCOUNTING! ( what feckin accounts. ) answers on a postcard please Timalloy

Strangely enough the accounts that are about to be released - take your head out of the sand!

13 Aug 2013 11:54:52
2.2 million, that's a hell of a lot of shredders

Was ther suhin 2 it? a just hot it was a wee friendly shove a ddnt hink anyhin of it

GunnieBhoy

13 Aug 2013 09:51:10
Hi bhoys and ghirls, looks like we are being priced out of a move for finboggason . As big a club as we are if the Italian teams enter the race we have no chance, I know we need at least another two or three players. I am sure we will bring in a player before the deadline and it must be a finisher our lack of striking options are there for all to see we have stokes, watt who now plays wide left for some reason? And big balde . Balde looks like a real talent and will score a lot of goals for us but three is not enough especially when watt hasn't scored for some time, Kevin Doyle is the same mould as stokes so that's a no go either . I would go for jelle vossen and billy sharp, or push the boat out and take bendtnar from arsenal he led the line well for Denmark and although he has big wages he would be just what we need .
Thoughts bhoys?

Chalky bhoy!

I think we need a poacher, the classsic right place at the right time kinda striker. Jelle vossen I seen today is linked with Newcastle for approx £7million so if that the sort of price range we are looking at then I think its out the window. I think it will be simply boil down to the results in the CL qualifier on who we sign. If we get through an Alfy Finbog is still available I reckon we will sign him. If we don't go through then it will be a cheaper alternative. My personal opinion is that a CB is needed just as much if not more than a striker though, no ideas who we could go in for though!

RsK_bhoy

Chalky bhoy got to disagree regard's Bednar ( spelling ) a dud of the first order as far as i'm concerned
Tambhoy

13 Aug 2013 03:42:11
Good luck with the hospital Ed sure you will be fine

Rangobango {Ed007's Note - Thanks mate.}

13 Aug 2013 07:21:27
At £5m have Celtic been priced out of the market for Finnbogasson? Or are Celtic waiting til or if we qualify for CL?
Perhaps, we do not need to buy now. By all accounts I have read Amido Balde put in a good shift as well as a good goal versus Liverpool. Man of the Match award also. Was the answer under our noses?

13 Aug 2013 00:30:57
Good luck with your op Ed!

Hail Hail
ChrisBhoy {Ed007's Note - Thanks Chris.}

When does it close for the SPFL? {Ed007's Note - 23.00 on the 2nd September.}

13 Aug 2013 00:23:44
Alfreð Finnbogason
To join on a 4year deal today for a cash plus add ons deal 4mil str8 up then depending on goals /progression in CL and apps another 1.3mil seen this on a few other sites want to see what people think? True? Not

13 Aug 2013 00:04:41
The bhoy vydra could do job as our main striker was prolific in the championship last season. Sep1888

Just signed a year loan at WBA.

Mentioned him a few weeks back, a lot of posters on here don't agree with loan deals but if there's no other options available I don't see what's wrong with giving JP + co an extra 12 mths to run the rule over targets. Anyway, he's off to WBA and will no doubt be there Lukaku this season!

12 Aug 2013 23:54:51
Well bhoys another disappointing deadline past with no striker no midfielder and no defender to replace the departed but if we lucky some1 in the coming days but ill not hold my breath and even then it'd b last minute so prob wouldn't play so its onwards and sideways but let's get behind the bhoys and hope they roll their sleeves up and get us 2 the holy grail and then maybe well get these positions filled.as Brian sang always look on the bright side at least we all support the same team we grew up supporting and if the moneys going to keep it that way that will do me hail hail
Cha67

12 Aug 2013 21:51:53
Just a we point to put out there and hopefully ed can help with this one. all the talk of this finbogasson boy made me remember we had a lad by the name of Kjartan Finnbogason and some other icelandic came with him I think but the name escapes me. I just checked him up there and he seems to be doing well back home in iceland (not a great league but a goal every two games or something like that) do you know why we let this boy go or was he just not ready at the time or homesick or whatevr?

Really hope we sign a striker sharpish. not to worried about cb cause I feel we aren't bad there cause think lustig could do a job in there. he has said himself he sees himself in cb as he gets older. a striker and a lb will do for me

Any interesting news on anything ed? great work mate and good luck with the op {Ed007's Note - Kjartan Finnbogason left because basically WGS just didn't fancy him as a player.}

The other Icelandic player was Teddy Bjarnasson I think
JamesMcG

Posted on another thread yesterday. Kjartan and Teddy Bjarnason were MON's last two signings (Jan 05 I think?) and both never got near the first team as WGS didn't like what he seen. I'm sure Kjartan left on bad terms based on how he was treated in the youth team?