Celtic Banter Archive July 27 2013

27 Jul 2013 23:28:31
I appreciate the need for a replacement strike. But we aaren't going to shell out 4.5-5 million on one player? It shows how far we are down the players pecking order when Cardiff can bid 9 million for some French midfielder?

Don't look at it that way bigp, its better to think of it as just how good the tic does against all odds. It's not just money, GJ I think it was hit the nail on the head the other day-it's not easy to attrack talent to Scotland (spl splfl or whatever it's dressed up as now) just simply ain't in the same league, literally and metaphorically, then theirs the weather and the perception that's we are all kilt wearing drunks(50%) right.
Having said all that maybe your bug bear was why does a welsh team get to play in the English premier league and we don't? HH joe

Gotta face facts mate, ANY team in the EPL can out bid us and better our wages. Look at the money accrued for finishing last.Even if you get relegated the payment is ridiculous. green jhedi

What I was getting at is the fact that a club like Cardiff get a bundle of skys money and straight away can bid 9 million for one player? Where as a club with a world brand like Celtic need to watch and take a big gamble signing a 4 million striker. Frustration kicks in when seeing lower level teams spend the way lower premiership team can spend.

27 Jul 2013 20:32:17
Wes Morgan would be a great cb for us from Leicester City what do you think Ed big Joe {Ed007's Note - If we were going to sign a defender from The Championship I would have went for Alex Baptiste, he could hold his own in the SPFL, is a great defensive utility man who can plays as a CB but can play in either FB position, plus we could have had him for nothing.}

27 Jul 2013 21:32:00
Has stokes signed a new contract. been away. if not when does his contract end
Cha67

27 Jul 2013 21:07:03
Just voted for jordan rhodes in your poll. But jelle vossen would've been up there. So consistent over last 5/6 years and still inly 24 {Ed007's Note - Sorry about that, I was in a hurry to check it is working fine. (And that I could work it fine!!)

27 Jul 2013 18:13:34
Atvidabergs 1-1 Elfsborg

This is the 7th time I have watched Elfsborg this season and yet again I have seen nothing to suggest to me they are a team who Celtic should have trouble beating over two legs. Atvidabergs took the lead inside the first ten minutes and were by far the better team in the first half. Elfsborg where without there impressive big Lebanese goalkeeper Abbas Hassan who is now number 1, his replacement Sturh- Ellegaard is an average keeper' at best and i'll be hoping he'll be in the sticks against Celtic.
The BOLD Mo Bangura lived up to his billing by missing a penalty and flattered to deceive as usual, and had Atvidabergs been a bit more clinical Elfsborg would have found themselves 2 goals down at half time as they wasted a few good opportunities.
Second half and Atvidabergs nearly scored a second within 5 mins, but for a good clearance. Elfsborg started to up the tempo and play a bit of football in search of an equalizer but again when I say play a bit, they only seem to have one gear and anytime they try to move the ball quicker they make mistakes and gift possession to the opposition. After a concerted period of pressure albeit without any real chances except for a half chance for Bangura when a shot come cross flew past him in the box 6 yards out, any kind of touch would have sent it past the goalkeeper, Efsborg got there equalizer with 57 mins on the clock from there full back Larsson.
After Elfsborg worked the ball into a bit of space around box Larsson rattled a 25 yard strike into the right hand top corner, great goal. From then on they huffed and puffed, a few times nearly conceding on the counter attack from Atvidabergs and missing one or two half chances of there own from James Keene and Niklas Hult. Bangura got the hook on 63 minutes and on this showing we would be better off suggesting he plays in the 2 legs against us rather than discouraging him.
Plenty of possession in the final 3rd for Elfsborg but like every time I have seen them there crossing and distribution from wide areas was poor and for a team lacking in the guile to play through the middle of teams this is a big part of there attacking play. Ishizaki is good with the ball although the last few times i've watched Elfsborg his creative spark had been missing. He is always looking for a shooting opportunity.
James Keene the more I seen him looks more and more like there most dangerous player, always on the move and will have a go at goal from anywhere in and around the 18 yard box. He went close with a header midway through the second half and is capable of nicking one against us for sure.


They don't defend particularly well and fluff there lines while under pressure quite a bit. As for the middle of the park Anders Svensson their captain (formerly of Southampton) and now 37 years old spent half the game committing niggly fouls and done nothing of note apart from giving the ref pelters while walking off at half time after he had been booked. Up front apart from Keene none of the other forwards look particularly dangerous and as far as skillful players go I haven't seen one who would run past a few players and score or create a goal.

Celtic will give this game on Wednesday the focus it deserves as true to form in the Champions League it won't be easy, but I can see us beating Elfsborg in both legs if we are on the ball and play to our strengths. After watching them as many times as I have they don't frighten me at all. 3-0 or 3-1 to Celtic at Celtic park and 2-1 to Celtic or draw 1-1 in Sweden.

Put it this way folks, if we can't beat this mob over 2 legs we certainly don't deserve to be in the Champions League this season.

Stevensee88

Excellent match report stevie I'm not worried about this team but when you play teams who's leagues are up and running there's always a worry rustiness will play a part that said I expect us to progress it's the oposition we could face next round that gives me the shudders but let's have faith in lenny and the bhoys and bringing the glory nights back is something we should be looking forward too
hh Thommyj

Stevensee88. Very good description of the game. From the game reports I read from our so called PAID pundits you have outclassed them all. You should seriously think of a career change. JK

Great report mate. Don't really fear them either however glad we played BMG yesterday. Didn't expect a win even before a ball was kick or even before we played our 1st preseason game. Yesterday was basically IMO a good exercise for Europe & the league. Being true to form though bangura will rattle a hat trick against us lol.

Clean sheet & hopefully get anew striker in (that's not Doyle)

Lenny

27 Jul 2013 17:01:13
Celtic have bid for 2.25mil for Sunderland's, James McClean (from twitter)

27 Jul 2013 14:38:39
I would like to see the fans do some sort of award or trophy to hooperman being the last EVER goalscorer in the now defunct OLD FIRM match just to get the point across to the darkside who are doing my chops in with this same team rubbish

The Supporters association should get it organised. A nice plaque perhaps. green jhedi

That would certainly make a statement and serve to reward and remind Hooper for his time with Celtic overall.

Jungle Jim

@1 Maybe if the 1st team players visited the various celtic supporters clubs and actually met with the fans maybe we could hand out plaques etc Jk

@1: A terrific point mate. green jhedi

27 Jul 2013 12:36:50
Anyone know if we are doing anything to remember wee ton who passed away? I hope so, probably be a big moral boost to the Thai tims who are grieving.

27 Jul 2013 12:14:53
Just seen that the EPL have apparently forced the shut down of firstrow on the net any1 no any other sites to watch the bhoys today and is the elfsburg game on tv on wed?

Cheers jam

Wish I knew myself mate :(

Wiziwig shows games as well as horse racing

There are alternatives like www.firstrow.org or www.firstrowsports.co

27 Jul 2013 11:38:19
Seen this from another page and thought I would give it some air time again, it's class!

They came from Bonnie Scotland but bowed to Lizzie's crown, it really is ironic, cause Lizzie put them down. They tried to avoid their sentence, by threatening other teams. It was all in desperation as they were crumbling at the seams. Auld Lizzie was getting angry, Liquidators she did send, but like the years before them, they spouted bile to the end. They are buried somewhere in Govan, do you know their name? They were born as Glasgow Rangers, but died as Scotlands shame.

HH ShottsBhoy

From the chronicles of dirty shame: the rotting corpse of auld deid RFC.

RIS-rest in shame

27 Jul 2013 08:08:12
Reckon Lawell needs a bit more credit than he's getting. He has pulled a masterstroke with the sale of Hooper. We can't be guaranteed CL football this year and the new EPL Sky deal makes it even harder to retain our star players who they can literally throw millions at to attract. Our TV deal on the other hand brings in hee haw. We can't gamble on getting into CL, reckon recent History has highlighted how dangerous that can be. People always hold up us missing out on Fletcher as Lawell's major mistake and try to define him through it, sure there have been a few other targets we've dragged our heels on and truly missed the boat with but Fletcher was never going to be sold to us at any price. Lawell is stingy but I reckon he's one of the best business negotiators in European football. Still an if but if we qualify for the group stages and bring in someone like Hosiner and a few other key players we will be set up for years to come. £40 million is a lot but we could have a strengthened squad and £60 million this time next year if PL plays it right, we may also then do well to hold onto him and miss him dearly when he's gone. Daviebhoy77

He's shrewd no doubt. And if he went he would be very badly missed. let's hope there's some succession planning going on because he won't be short on offers. Just not his style to brag about them. HH. Joe

This Fletcher myth seems to have grown. I remember at the time hearing that Fletcher would have choose Wolves over us even if we had matched their offer. I agree Mr Lawwell does a fantastic job, look across the city to prove that, but he might have to be slightly more adventurous. We get £5.5 for hooper, we should therefore spend at least £4-5 on a replacement. As I said before getting players to play in Scotland is the main problem for me.,, green jhedi

Well look at arsenal, the where chasing PL to become chief exectutive but he stayed with the club he loves, also we have Livingston who was asked by the prime minister to join the House of Lords to help Britians economy. His lord name is lord Livingston of park head :)

@3 . I wouldn't boast about one of our directors being a member of the bunch of stuck up rogues of a government . DH

PL gets a hard time as we never speculate to accumulate or buy from a position of strength. If we had done this during the later O'Neill years and strachan years we would now be on 13 in a row.

Fletcher issue was us not paying Hibs an extra 500k in the January and they then sold him to Burnley for double our offer in the summer.

27 Jul 2013 01:38:35
Mohsni told Rangers' website: "I think it is a chance to prove that I can play in the top league"! Has The Slug told him what league he will be playing in?. Pmsl

27 Jul 2013 08:04:12
Even if he's referring to the SPL or whatever it's called, it can hardly be considered a top league. It's just the top league in Scotland - there's a big difference, Bilel.

1903

Classic! THINK being the correct word! Enjoy signing for the skidmark on the underpants of society HH ShottsBhoy

He also said " playing in a top league like this is only a stepping stone for my dream to play in the Kaziksthan Premier league . People in my homeland will be crowding into bars on Sunday to watch me in the Ramadamsdens cup on TV . We Alba People . " DH

26 Jul 2013 19:21:15
Hi Ed. How you keeping mate? How all the gang? Waiting hard on who's going to replace hooper. do you think will we sign someone 24 hours before Wednesday's match? Hail Hail Bigirishmac {Ed007's Note - Hi BIM, always a pleasure to hear from you, we're all good thanks, hope you are the same. I do think there will be a signing before the Elfsborg game. I'm not confident he will play but I think he will be paraded before the match.}

Am good Ed. Yeah Kevin Doyles getting abit of a bashing from the fans. Doyles a grafter never prolific goal scorer. Alfreð Finnbogason is the striker I hope we get. HH Bigirishmac

Doyles just like stokes big grafter not got the goals we don't need another stokes I'd rather give stokes the chance than sign Doyle no one wants Doyle he had his chance to be a tim