Celtic Rumours Archive March 18 2013

18 Mar 2013 22:43:18
I've been impressed with Michael Turner from Norwich, seems like a no nonsense centre half which is something that we've missed for a long time?!
Hingmy

Come on, I hate this type of comment. rubbish old school sayings like "no nonsense" are a joke. The best defenders are the ones which at least try to pass out properly from the back. We need to get with the times, and its not just us the premiership may be the best league in terms of being end to end and the referring but in terms of footballing quality they are well behind, especially the english players. The only team I would say play the best football are liverpool, swansea and arsenal.

Old school? It's called winning. Funny how the teams you mention don't win hee-haw (apart from Swansea, well done Swansea on winning the cup). And it's ok trying to play out from the back if you already have the quality. Celtic don't at the minute.

Being able to play like thYes at the moment Liverpool are not winning anything but I know where they are going and would much rather be them or Swansea than any other team in that league. Look at even for example Manchester United who have been the most successful team in the supposed 'best league'. When they play Real Madrid (who don't even concentrate on passing) they defend with 7/8 men right in front of their goal in both legs. Pathetic and embarrasing

I like no nonsense. How many stupid goals have we conceded from daudling (spelling?!) on the ball or not clearing our lines properly this year? A good "ball playing" centre half will cost upwards of £15m unless you are going to take a chance on someone.
Not many goals scored from row Z. Remember Seville? I don't recall Balde, Valgaeren and Mjallby being total footballers.
Agree we should be playing football, but when you have a budget like our the football has to be played further up the pitch. Defenders should defend.

Yes balde, valgaeren and mjallby were excellent but football has moved on from those days and british football needs to catch up. Its a myth thatt you need mega money to play good football. Swansea have used this philosophy for years and players like Leon Britton have mastered it. We have a few years now were we'll win the league regardless, we should use this time to adopt a passing game as it will help us in europe in the long run.

There is noway a turner would join Celtic he is playing in the EPL. I'm a Norwich fan & we won't get hooper as we are now getting a much better Dutch international striker. I'm so glad we didn't get hooper in jan

At 30years old, maybe his last chance to experience champions league football, don't see him getting it at Norwich.

Enjoy your Dutch striker, would have hooper any day of the week!

18 Mar 2013 16:25:51
Lets get back to talking football.
Who would you like Celtic to sign in summer?
What about the boy Concalves, on loan at St Mirren, he would cost, I reckon, about £1m+, he is strong, very pacy and could do us a turn on the wing.
Also up front we have a choice of Charlie Austin or Jordan Rhodes. My preference would be Rhodes as he is already an international player and would be an ideal replacement for Hooper. Ok cost will be £4m+ but not exorbitant.
We also need another big strong centre half, so hope scouts have one or two lined up.
Players leaving should be Miku, McCourt, Murphy.
We will probably lose one ot two big names Hooper, Wanyama, as long as we get good replacements and make some money I will be happy.
Ambrose also any decent offer above what we paid take it.
Get Ledley on a new contract also.
What are your thoughts bhoys/ghirls and wee Pat on players coming and going? Timalloy

I think Lenny must see the priorities are in the defence. A dominant ball winning centre half is a must. We also seem to be missing a creative spark, although Rogic may provide that, And a plan B striker is also a must. Concalves flatters to deceive a bit for me Tim, I also think Russell is a better option. I also have a sneaky feeling that Forster will go, he just seems to be off it just now, tapped up maybe?. Mackay Steven would also improve with us, and for me would be a great signing. green jhedi

To me it's also the CBs and when hooper leaves a striker or two. don't have any names for defenders but strikers would be RHODES or perhaps kim ojo, could imagine that he'll play for a top EPL team one day. mackay steven also looks very interesting and would be worth a try.

Before buying a new defender I would like to see more of gershon. I have the feeling that he's a great defender who is better than ambrose and wilson. on the other hand ambrose is so annoying because he's actually such a good player who sadly messes it up with his mistakes and is taking everything too easy.

I think we might see a major clearout in the summer! McCourt, Rogne, and Stokes are all out off contract! Miku and Gherson's loans are up! Hooper and Wanyama will leave in the summer IMO, I think Forster could leave in the summer as well! I also think a few clubs will be sniffing about samaras after his exploits in Europe this season!

Byars

Hopefully there's a clear out of 2nd/3rd eaters that shouldn't be near the club, which would give the youngsters a chance of getting close to first team football!
As signings go, Russell and McKay Steven fit the bill for SPL, unfortunately the board won't think a decent amount of money will need to be spent to retain the championship, which is true. It's the desire or ambition to move slowly on in Europe which could decide another 1 or 2 decent singings, a CB and decent striker, will the board go down that road and jeep Lenny in paradise?

Bigbadjohn

First time poster but a regular browser. I know it goes against the current signing policy but I think Peter Crouch would be a fantastic foil for Stokesy. I don't agree with landmark signings as a rule but would he could give us something we've not had since Sutton. Would sell a few season tickets. Hail Hail.

Howie. {Ed007's Note - Welcome to the sites, Howie.}

Would punt ambrose in a heartbeat, guy installs no confidence in the team, would play Marcus Fraser till end of season,. Also lassad, miku, McCourt all need to move on, we need a centre half that dominates in the air and doesn't fart around with the ball, mulgrew had best season at centre half, izzy weak at left back, ball over the top his weak point, move him further into mid? Left back boy from Bolton?

Forsters form has dipped, do we get to see the Swedish keeper? Under 21 nat team.

Like the look of the st mirren player on loan from Newcastle, conclaves will be a great player,

Russell, big yes from me

Ska bhoy

I would think we need a big strong commanding centre defender we should look at Banana Yaya (21) from Sochaux or Brothers Lionel Zouma (19) also Sochaux and Kurt Zouma (18) from Saint Etienne, Xulu Siyanda (20) of Rostov in Russia they all fit the bill.
i also think we lack a good playmaking midfielder someone who could open up a defence with one pass I like the look of Elkeson (23) from Botafogo he is very much the Hulk mould very strong and fast with a deadly shot or Fred (20) from Internacional very much in the Fernandinho mould small and very agile has stepped into fill Oscars shoes since he left for Chelsea!
i think we could do with a good left sided player someone like Gary Mackay-Steven or Lenny Nangis (18) of Caen
and finally a good striker someone like Facundo Ferreyra (21) from Velez been labeled the new Gabriel Batistuta strong in the air!
i am sure Lenny and Park have been Sat round a table watching DVD after DVD of players and will do us proud!

gazcfc21

Some of those suggestions are excellent gaz. Done your homework there son. I suspect a few of them would be out of reach as they will be in high demand come the summer but your heads in the right place, we need to aim high. The idea is of course to raise the standard of the team big by bit. Centre half is a just for me. We will never improve if we don't get the centre of that defence sorted. It's been a problem for years.

19 Mar 2013 16:57:59
Jordan rhodes is earning 70 to 80k a week at blackburn we have no chance of signing him with those wages. people on here need to forget about him as a replacement for hooper. {Ed007's Note - Rhodes is on £40 - 45k a week at Blackburn Rovers.}

19 Mar 2013 18:36:20
Sorry ed have to correct you. celtic seasn ticket holder that lives in blackburn, and rhodes turned down other deals because he could not believe the money he got offered from the venkys and he couldn't turn it down.
But he won't be there much longer, especially after todays events, but he will still be out of our wage structure.
Great site Liam Mc {Eda007's Note - Sorry I have to correct you, but Blackburn is not in the Milton Keynes area.}

20 Mar 2013 11:19:49
For me - I feel, like a lot of others on here, we need a commanding aerial centre half, and a plan b target man striker - big enough to offer a threat in the air.

So: For me, I would look at the Racing Genk guys - Ojo up front - a player we have been linked with already, Nigerian, played in Scandinavia, and picked up by Genk. 6'3'' and 24 years old. Am sure that a spot in our squad could secure him international recognition for Nigeria. Would be affordable. We may find better though - I jsut haven't seen anything in our price range.
At the back - also from Genk - Kalibou Koulibaly. French, 21, 6'5" centre back can also play in the holding role. came threough the system at Metz (like many top players - wiltord, adebayor, saha etc) and has a dose of caps for france U20. Am sure he is destined for bigger things. celtic like versatile players, and he can play more than 1 position.
If not, I would go after Willy Boly from Auxerre - another player we have been linked with previously. 22 years old 6'3"" centrre back - schooled at the INF national training centre in France, so an excellent technical player. played for france thru all the youth grades.

Guys coming on here suggesting players from the epl and even championship need to have a word with themselves. Why on earth would we pay crazy money for players like that - if they are good enough to get in our (CL) squad, then decent epl sides will want them too - and offer far more. If they aren't good enough for competitve epl sides, then we don't want them - as they won't add value in the champions league. England is overpriced, and should generally be avaoided.

If Wanyama leaves, I would suggest back to genk again - and look at kara Mbodj from Senegal. Young, big fast holding midfielder - linked with arsenal a few years ago when he was playing in scandinavia. genk snagged him at the start of this season.

Importantly - I would look at stealing Genk's head scout - especially if j park is tempted away. genk have an incredibly similar startegy to celtic, and have in their squad guys from israel, kenya, and the scandinavian leagues (like us) and have signed 3 players at least who we have been linked with along the way - ojo, keeper sandomierski and one other. Clearly they are tagetting similar markets, and similar players - africans, good athletes etc.

Jean-Pierre Laguerre

20 Mar 2013 19:00:09
hi ed. no reply to your milton keyens not being near blackburn nonsense response (??) From my jordan rhodes post re wages. no idea what you where talking about there.
E mail address above
Liam mc {Ed007's Note - You are posting from the Milton Keynes area which means you're a liar. It is immaterial anyway, your information is 100% totally wrong.}

21 Mar 2013 08:04:27
Post was sent from bb2 4nr blackburn my home via a mobile so your systems showing up milton keynes are either outdated or unreliable or both. also the post is genuine. never mind
Amateur.

18 Mar 2013 13:28:27
we need another balde. when balde played, the defence moved out when a high ball came in. they knew there was only one winner, now its panic stations. priority find a dominating centre back. and watch the improvement, with the rest of the defence,, OLD BOB,

I would like to know why we don't give the boy Fraser a shout? Wins more than his share of headers and has never let himself down when called on. I really think this kid is the answer. green jhedi

I'd say we have a Balde in Ambrose. In the sense he looks decent right up until the point he makes a huge unrecoverable mistake. We need a no non-sense powerhouse with international experience. A Rieper, Majstorovic or Mjallby. Clearly Scandinavia/Nordic Europe are good places to start! Looking like Rogne is off and Charlie is looking more and more like a utility player so I really hope somebody is brought in. Keep your eyes open for a dutch youth player called Van Dijk.

Bobo was a big favourite of mine and was forced out too soon. i'm glad he hung about and claimed his wages. He was not used deliberatley and had been a great player for us. MJ

Virgil van dijk of gronigen by any chance? noel