Greetings All, Brucehillbhoy here reporting for duty, but you can call me Danny. This is my first blog for ‘TheCelticBlog’ so please be nice! So with the introductions out of the way, sit back and enjoy the blog.
On Tuesday night, the Summer Transfer window slammed shut until January, and most years, following the closure of the summer window is an international break, which gives club managers across Europe the chance to take stock and assess how they’ve done during the summer months in assembling teams to challenge for the domestic honours, as well as an assault on European football.
Celtic have seen 11 new players enter those famous revolving doors at Celtic Park, which effectively means a new team. However was the right business done at Celtic Park? Was everyone of those 11 new signings essential? Could the money have been spent elsewhere? For a better cause? Have a wee think to yourselves whilst i give my opinion, lets see if you agree. I’ll start with the list of players who have became Celtic players this summer:
Charlie Mulgrew (Left Back)
Joe Ledley (Midfielder)
Daryl Murphy (Striker)
Gary Hooper (Striker)
Efrain Juarez (Midfielder)
Cha Du Ri (Right Back)
Daniel Majstorovic (Center Half)
Emiliano Izaguire (Left Back)
Frazer Forster (Goalkeeper)
Anthony Stokes (Striker)
Biram Kayal (Midfielder)
Mulgrew and Murphy aside, in my opinion those players were signed to make an automatic mark on the club and were brought in as first team regulars. However, is Frazer Forster better than Artur Boruc? Is Cha Du Ri better than Andy Hinkel? I believe this not to be the case, however i also do not see it as being a problem to our title chances.
Juarez and Kayal look to be very assured players on the ball, as does Joe Ledley. Scott Brown looks to have recognized the threat posed to his position and has been excellent in all 3 SPL games we’ve played in this year. Izaguire looks like what we’ve been needing for years, a Left Back who can take the ball off a winger. Majstorovic, an imposing center half, looks like a defender who is capable of both scaring the life out of center fowards, and winning the ball cleanly in the challenge, he is also capable of combining both into one action. Gary hooper, before injury ruled him out until October, showed that he might just be the penalty box striker we’ve been looking for, Forster had hee haw to do against Motherwell but did nothing in a secure fashion, and even managed to knock Glenn Loovens out. Last but not least, Anthony Stokes, our last minute Signing, could just be the man to partner Hooper and use his very good link up play to ensure Celtic blow opponents away.
Leaving Celtic, was the very capable Marc Antoine Fortune, im yet to be convinced that a better player is replacing big Marco. There was something not right with Fortune, one week he would show flashes of undeniable brilliance, whether be a late winner against Motherwell, which John Ruddy is still trying to save, or a magnificent equaliser at St.Johnstone. However, there were times when Fortune looked ordinary, arguably this was the case for 9/10 times. As a huge admirer of Marc Antoine Fortune, i was very sorry to see him go, i saw a different player to others, i saw a player who could hold the ball up, bring others into play, and generally provide a decent outlet when we were on the back foot, Rapid Vienna away anyone? I know i am in the minority here but i dont believe selling Fortune was for the best. Moving on to the other leavers this summer, ex captain Steven McManus left for Boro, to continue his stay with Gordon Strachan’s SPL All Stars after an initial 5 months loan deal. Morten Rasmussen and Darren O’Dea left on loan. Not unexpected but still saddening was the departure of Artur Boruc, our holy goalie left Celtic after a glorious 5 years and will provide stiff compeition for Forientina’s current number 1 Seb Frey, and probably become number one there himself very shortly. Artur’s exit leaves us short in that position that we were so secure in for 5 Years, for the first time since Artur’s arrivial, we were needing a new Number 1, not a back up goalkeeper, eg. Mark Brown, Zaluska, Cervi, Marshall. I’d like to wish all those who left Celtic this summer, whether on loan or on a permanent deal, all the very best for the future, and also thank them for their efforts whilst wearing the green and white hoops. I’d like to think all Celtic fans share those sentiments.
After 7 games this season, Neil Lennon’s Celtic have gone through 3 league matches without conceeding a goal, Conceeded 8 goals in europe and only scoring 3, went out of all european competitions, stuff that usually provokes the cracked crest routine in all of the major tabloids. However things are looking up for Neil Lennon and Co. We’re going well in the league, and no matter what unrealistic dreams of winning the Champions League you may have, the league is our bread and butter, and if that is in the bag come May, then a fine season we will have enjoyed, no matter which 3rd divison side knocks us out of the Scottish Cup…
Finally this week, the internationals loom, and tonight Scotland will play Lithuania in Kaunas tonight with only one Celtic player in their squad, the Celtic captain, Scott Brown. Brown will probably be used in a more holding role with Darren Fletcher beside him, a player i believe Scott Brown carries at times when playing for Scotland, not suggesting for a second Scott Brown is Man Utd class, but it is evident Brown is a better player for Scotland than Fletcher is. Anyways, a point that i cannot get through to my head is the ommision of Shaun Maloney, a player who has been nothing short of brilliant in the early season fixtures, Scoring 2 TV MOTM awards in as many games. Players like Charlie Adam, Steven Naismith, Lee McCulloch and Kris Boyd (who both turned their back on their country not so long ago) get into the squad before Maloney, who in my opinion has never been given a fair crack of the Scotland whip, nothing that bothers me however, means he will stay injury free for selection at Celtic, something which isn’t normally said about Maloney. Also, in 2009 there was a media outrage when John Fleck wasn’t selected for Scotland after 2 15-minute cameo appearences for Rangers. I have yet to see anyone call for James Forrest’s introduction to full international football.
To end my first blog i’d like to wish all the Celts away on international duty this week the very best of luck and hopefully they all return next Thursday morning fit and healthy for the continuation of the SPL season
Thanks for your time, Hail Hail
Brucehillbhoy
if I had the choice of keeping either MAF or Samaras I would have kept MAF but I’m of the opinion neither deserved to still be at Celtic this season. Players who were good, sometimes very good every now and again is why Celtic were so bad last season.
I think that’s a fair assesment and would agree with 90% of it.
Maulgrew is the next in a long line of left backs who just can’t cut it.
He didn’t first time around and this time looks even more of a liablity than lee naylor or danny Fox.
And that’s saying something!
Cha Du Ri, ater a so-so start has given cause for concern defensively.
Scott Brown.
Oh dear.
Has shown repeatedly that he can’t pass the ball in any consistent manner.
Any midfielder who can’t pass may as well give the game up or play amateur football.
Daryl Murphy hasn’t played enough to come to any conclusion but we’ll see.
That’s the bad.
Now the good. All of the players listed below have given, to me at least, some sign that they are good players.
I was particularly impressed with Emilio Izaguirre’s debut against Motherwell, and have always liked Anthony Stokes since his time at Motherwell.
Joe Ledley (Midfielder)
Gary Hooper (Striker)
Efrain Juarez (Midfielder)
Daniel Majstorovic (Center Half)
Emiliano Izaguire (Left Back)
Frazer Forster (Goalkeeper)
Anthony Stokes (Striker)
Biram Kayal (Midfielder)
@Carntyne
Where is Charlie Mulgrew? Serious question, like.
That should read since Stokes time at Falkirk!
It is still early days for all of the new bhoys but whether some of them should have been given a chance to join Celtic in the first place is the real talking point. One or two should be nowhere near Celtic Park but all should be given full support whenever they pull on the shirt.
9 out of 9 in the league is all we can ask for but the images of Utrecht are all I have in my head from the football played in July and August. Forget about putting 4 past St Mirren, when we have played an average/slightly above average team we have been out-thought and out-played. That is a real worry and even if we win every game until the 24th October if we lose that one questions will be asked. We still need an experienced goal-keeper and that was a major failure of the window. We also need a better quality CB, Utrecht clearly illustrated this. It is sad that if Shittu signs (hopefully not) he will be the best defender we have!
The disaster in Holland means that the new signings all have questions marks beside their names as they were all woeful. I feel that Keyal was the best player in Hoops that night and may be the best value for money. Hooper may also prove he has what it takes but time will tell and hopefully they will come together as a unit sooner rather than later.
I have made plenty of claims that we are weaker now and less experienced than this point last season. We have lost our 3 best players are relying on questionable campaigners for experience and have weakened right back.
The Huns are rightly favourites. Just the way I like it.
Fortune had a beast inside. As you mentioned Vienna away and I think he played well against The Huns in the last game against them.
Like Samaras we shouldn’t need to rub players lamps to produce a genie. I wasn’t sorry to see him go.
Going out of Europe hurt, the way we went out was paper cut tactic. It will be a while before I’m completey sure of the new kids
Welcome Danny.
@jpd
St Mirren signed Nick Hegarty who was released by Grimsby last season. Grimsby are in the conference. All SPL teams out with us and them have signed from the third and fourth tier of England or public parks of Europe.
SPL is a false economy to measure strength.
Cheers lads, going out of Europe killed any chance of signing a big name on the fly late on (i.e keane this january). Falkirk signed a Weston Super-mer player this winter also, and we were linked with championship defenders, whilst spending the best part of 3Million on Gary Hooper, whos goals just kept Scunthorpe in the Championship. Realistically, we did as well as could’ve been expected this summer imo.
@brucehillbhoy
I saw on ‘Deadline Day’ that Leicester City signed Japanese internationalist Abe who impressed at the World Cup. Got me thinking about the level of international football and whether it should be used as an indicator of ability when judging a player.
Watch a few games yesterday and they were all of a poor standard.
I watched that game last night and I got fed up with Hutton and Robson diving and at the end the boss coming out with the moans. I actually thought the ref did fairly well. 🙂
I remembered seeing Scotland booted up and down Hampden by Wales in 1985 and Jock Stein praised the Welsh team for their effort and commitment.
I`m not too keen on another big haddy centre half being signed. Is it a rule that a minimum should be spent on defenders?
Enjoy the football free day, why a Friday for international matches? The world has gone mad!!!
@iainin440
Watching Scotland was painful. It was painful just to read the team sheet. I agree to a point with Levein. One of the ex jambos commited 5 free kicks in 7 minutes and never got booked and the two defenders that were booked early doorsboth committed numerous other offences so much so that Ithought was Boogie from last season.
@Lordofthewing
with all due respect to Japan, they had a cracking 2002 world cup and everyones been impressed since then, however they haven’t hit that height since then, teams like both Koreas, Saudi Arabia, Australia(play in asia quals) have probably did a lot better than them footballing wise, so Abe, might be one of the best in Japan, but he may be the 25th best in Asia, but how many of the other 24 would we have? Cahill? Kewell? Ki??
however from what i remember of the world cup, Cha Du Ri had an absolute nightmare against Nigeria to which i stated ‘hes a celtic right back alright’
Judging players by international form is a very very risky business, i.e Samaras is a greek icon, Boruc was poor for Poland recently. And lets be honest, would you have signed Messi, Ronaldo or any of the french players going by the world cup? not a chance.
@brucehillbhoy
I think we agree that the prefix international player should be treated with caution.
Talking of internationals, a wee take on our Koreans.
Cha is not particularly rated over here. As Brucehillbhoy says, got caught sleeping for Nigeria’s first goal and apparently Braga’s at CP, too. Got a gig advertising milk under his “Chamintaor” persona after the world cup but he won’t win anymore caps. Really want him to do well (getting a few games on tv recently) but remember he was released by the mighty Freiburg so what should we expect? Sadly, get the feeling he’s gone from potential Annoni cult status to the new whipping boy.
As for Ki – loved over here but doubt he’ll survive the SPL, shame cos he was a great prospect and was never a defensive midlfielder before moving (tho Korean national team now try that as well – probably to get him in the team for free kick ability). Daily Hun running a story he gave Lennon pelters on twitter. How true, i don’t know as anyone can set up an account and Korean culture tends not to go down that route, but who knows?
Anyway, a wee drunken rant there. Hail, hail!
@chiefinkorea
Cha arrived, I looked and saw potential of a hero based on the look alone. You mentioned Annoni and you are spot on.
He is not a whipping boy yet. He is still in the honeymoon stage. I just can’t believe that the curse of the frail fullback has struck again.
Lordo
A lot of the free kicks were due to collisions and could have gone either way. Levein was behaving the same as a tartan army drunk. (That`s maybe a tad harsh :-))
Chiefin,
I like Ki, he looks a good player and his long passes are impressive. He has the same chance as Kayal and Crosas to make it at Celtic. The coaching staff know midfield and midfielders!
@Lordofthewin and @Ianin440
the worst challenge in that game was the one on Robson right at the start of the game, in the first half the Lithuanians did get stuck right in, however in the second half Hutton had caught on to the fact the ref was whistle happy and proceeded to dive a good 7 or 8 times to win free kicks.