Celtic Banter Archive June 19 2013

19 Jun 2013 21:49:45
Still think that a lot of foreigners are going to come and go at celtic therefore u need that scottish backbone to the team, mulgrew and brown as examples! Think Danny Wilson and Leigh griffiths should b bought {Ed007's Note - Ah a visiting Hibs fan. You had a chance with Mulgrew mate but couldn't get his wages sorted and Brown evolved to be too big for your club. Believe me you wouldn't want Wilson anywhere near your team, although Griffiths is a good shout for Hibs although Wolves might price you out of a deal.}

19 Jun 2013 20:04:24
i don't understand why lots of people would be happy with 8 million for wanyama. I think we should a big enough club to be able to demand more money. look at donetsk. they're selling players for millions while wanyama is one of the best in the world on his position. it's such a shame I find.

Your spot on mate. Wanyama not be sold for less than 12 million, not a penny less. And as for Shakhtar, if you want to talk about a 2 horse race in a league competition look no further than Ukraine. Its just as embarrassing as up here. Although I do realise its now a 1 horse race up here till the imbeciles get back to the SPL and sell there grannies to get a squad capable of challenging for the title.

The point i'm making is they are getting 40 million euro's for Willian who was playing in a league with no competition just like our star players are so why should we get shafted by clubs looking to save a few quid. Our players just like Shakhtars are doing the business in the Champions League so the difference is getting these players on long contracts, give them the wages they deserve and playing hard ball and holding out for what we want when the vultures come calling.

Agree! I feel this is our biggest best chance to break this 10mill cap for a spl player. We should at least get 15mill for everyone can see he has what it takes to be one of the best in the game and is still young. Talent is talent no matter the league

At the end of the day troops its down to the player, if he's happy to stay kick out every bid, but if he wants to go its a diff story. I personally think we will get about 10 mill for vic, but a lot of that will be add ons. bhoywonder

Tommy boyd in paper today, saying lenny was right when he said he wanted £25m . for big vic .with the prices clubs are paying for lesser players or players with less potential . why not £25m .

yes I know we won't get that, but if the big guns get involved we will get more than £10m . and let's not forget vic is in no hurry to leave and still has two years on his contract, so we are in no hurry either . shammy

19 Jun 2013 18:10:49
Celtic's Best Signing In Recent Years?
I found this on another fan site and thought it summed the situation up perfectly.

"If I were to ask you which signing has been the most important addition to the Celtic squad in the last decade you might say Brown, Hooper, Forster, Ledley or even wee Emilio. However, in my opinion the best signing Celtic made in the last decade was a man few of you would recognise if you crossed paths in the street.



Let me take you back a decade or so to the small Fife town of Hill O’ Beith. The town is famous as the birthplace of Slim Jim Baxter, a midfielder of grace and skill who was part of a golden generation of Scottish players who graced the game in the 1960s. Across from the statue of Jim Baxter which now stands as a permanent memorial to a great player was the home of a young footballer who in 2003 at just 17 had just led Hibernian to a solid victory against Aberdeen.





He was part of a ‘Golden generation’ of talent coming through at Easter Road in those days. Lads like Caldwell, Roirdan, O’Connor, Fletcher, Thompson and Whittaker were all developing into players who, in some cases would change hands for millions of pounds. 17 year old Scott Brown was part of that group and said in 2003 just after his Hibs debut…



"The statue to Jim Baxter is right across from my house, I was there when it was unveiled and I see it every day. If I can achieve half of what he did in football then I’ll have had a pretty successful career."



Brown, like many of the young stars of Hibs’ ‘Golden generation’ was spotted by the Hibs Chief Scout, John Park. Park had snapped Brown up as a 13 year old having watched him play and realized his potential was immense. Celtic parted with £4.4 million to secure Scott Brown in 2007 and John Park would have smiled to see the cocky 13 year old he spotted develop into an international player and mix it with the best in Europe. However, much as Scott Brown was a great signing for Celtic, it is not the midfielder whom I consider Celtic’s best signing this decade, rather it is John Park himself. Celtic’s Chief scout joined the Hoops in January 2007 after Peter Lawell and Gordon Strachan persuaded him that this was the job for him. Park, a modest but supremely professional man said upon his appointment…



“I’m delighted to be here. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I’m looking forward to getting started. The Football Development Manager role has developed because Celtic is such a massive club. They’re looking to co-ordinate all the scouting, all the recruitment throughout the club, and they have seen me as the person deemed fit enough to take up the position.''





As Football Development Manager and immediately set about restructuring Celtic’s youth system and scouting team.



Celtic’s policy was to be akin to club’s such as Ajax or Porto; Develop young players and, if required sell some on to finance further investment in up and coming Scottish and world-wide talent. In these challenging financial times in the low revenue environment of Scottish Football, it is the only course open to an ambitious club like Celtic. Access to the wealth of the English League is denied to them and the Champions League is at best an intermittent pot of gold. This year’s adventures being the first good run there in 4 or 5 years. The resurgence of Celtic in Scotland and in Europe is linked to the influx of talented young players who quickly adapted to Scottish Football and blended into Lennon’s team shape.



McGeady may have gone but his transfer fee went a long way to securing players such as Wanyama. Izziguirre, Kayal, Hooper, Matthews and Ledley. John Park and his team identified these young potential stars early and Celtic were able acquire them for very reasonable prices. Hooper at £2.2m was the most expensive purchase but is currently worth three times that amount. Wanyama cost £900,000 and would now sell for more than 10 times that amount.





This pattern of identifying young talent, snapping it up and improving the players involved by exposing them to excellent coaching methods is now firmly established at Celtic. Scouting is no longer about standing by rain sodden ash football pitches in the west of Scotland watching young lads battle it out. It is an international business involving agents, DVDs of potential targets being watched and scouts travelling all over the world. That being said, Tony Watt was identified by Park playing for Airdrie United and Lennon was duly alerted. There seems little doubt that the £100,000 spent on Watt is money well spent. Just ask Javier Mascherano of Barcelona who probably earns that in a week.



John Park is the hub of a very successful Celtic Scouting team which has helped Neil Lennon assemble a squad full of youth and potential.





Peter Lawell too will be impressed by Park’s record too as he has delivered some excellent assets to the club with sell on values far in excess to their cost. The sale of midfielder Ki Sung Yeung to Swansea for £6m would have caused some backlash in years gone by but such is the depth of the Celtic midfield talent, his passing has hardly been noticed. Indeed, if anything Celtic are stronger in that area as well as healthier at the bank.





The youth system which has produced talent like Forest and McGeoch, continues to lead the way in Scotland. The native talent being nurtured by Park, Chris McCart and the coaching team at Lennoxtown is augmented by talent from around the world identified by Park and his team. It is fair to say that Celtic is currently the undisputed number one club in Scotland.





They have financial stability, a talented and valuable young squad and a professional and effective scouting and coaching system which regularly unearths some diamonds for the club. Much of this success is built on the excellent teamwork from Lawell, Lennon and Park. The man responsible for the golden generation at Hibs may now be helping develop a golden generation at Celtic.



These are good times to be a Celtic fan. Our club is in excellent shape and the future looks bright. We owe many people for that, the fans, the Board and the manager. But just for today, I want to single John Park and hope that at least some of you agree that he has been a splendid acquisition for Celtic. His fine work is serving Celtic well and long may this continue."

An excellent summary of a great guy!

Hail Hail
ChrisBhoy

Superb reading that chrisbhoy there is no doubt that we are a club that is respected around europe for our ability to find and nurture gems.while the epl is just a cash cow where insane money is lavished on very ordinary players.the way mccart park and lennon combine makes the goodship celtic one that will sail steady in the years ahead
gally

Brilliant post Chris!
John Park is a professional FDM and a very good one too. This of course will bring him to the attention of some of the other big clubs in Europe, as it's a role that is very difficult to fill with the right person.
So while we worry about losing Hooper, big Vic or the Welsh bhoys, I would worry more if we lost JP as he is well and truly part of the Celtic family.

BigRab

Great post Chris, really good reading, forgot John Park was responsible for bringing all them young hibs players through, wonder how much hibs made on all those players 4.4m for brown. 2m for O'Connor. Whittaker Thomson Riordan. Ian L

It's all one big team, actually one big family.

19 Jun 2013 13:03:30
If we are unfortunate to be given a cup match against Newco (which I think we will get).

Wouldn't be great for the Club to play Naught Boy LALALALALA could all just stand with our hand over our ears singing lalalalalalalala.

Ian

Ian huv you been oan the la la la la la juice ma sun?

Works BBQ today so had a few lol. Ian

19 Jun 2013 00:04:38
Ed we've been linked to Van Dijk and Mongongu, do you see us buying more than one centre back this summer?

LM67 {Ed007's Note - I can see us, dependant on who leaves, 2-3 CBs being brought.}

I can see a few more new faces, as by the looks of it, wanyama, hooper going& hopefully no bids come in for ledly& Mathews or forster.No matter what celtic will be looking for more unearthed gems.John park worth his weight in gold. IMHO.stevo