As Celtic’s pre-season preparations get under way, the media is, as ever, speculating wildly on who we might sign and who we might sell.
One of the positions where we very clearly need some cover is in attack; our forward line is still lacking that out-and-out penalty box player who can cut it a higher level.
A lot of names are being thrown about – indeed, many media outlets think we’re going to go for Vossen, who was at Middlesbrough last year – but there’s another name who keeps cropping up:
His name is Gary Hooper.
It has to be said that this looks unlikely, although this is the final year of his contract and he’s been pretty much told her can leave Norwich with them being back in the EPL,
But it’s an intriguing one none the less, except for the notion of us offering Van Dijk in a part exchange.
I am not the world’s most forgiving guy when it comes to ex-players coming back, but Hooper is one I would have welcomed because I thought it ridiculous in the first place that we ever let him go.
He’s a fine footballer, and a bloody good finisher, the kind of player who can score lots of goals.
He proved to be quite the big game player too, although I thought Scott McDonald – his closest contemporary in that I think they were both very similar players – had him beat there, just for goals in the Champions League.
On balance, he’s a guy I would re-sign, and I think a lot of Celtic fans would agree, although obviously I’m interested in hearing all your thoughts on the subject.
The money would have to be right of course; there’s no question of us paying a huge transfer fee or ridiculous wages.
But Hoops might be amendable to a deal because he’s seen now that the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side of the fence.
This is one of those things that troubles me about professional footballers sometimes.
There’s not a one of them at the top of the game now who isn’t making “lifestyle money”; these guys aren’t “scraping by”, not any of them.
None has the slightest, remotest, worry about how they are going to pay the bills now or in the future.
At what point do these guys start thinking about honours? Trophies? Memories that are about more than just money in the bank?
When you think about how many professional players there are out there, you realise that the bulk of them will never have that.
Hooper is luckier, then, than most. He already does.
But can you ever get too much of it?
Can you ever have too many medals?
So I think Hooper would be up for it, and we probably wouldn’t have to break the bank to get him.
But that’s not the issue, of course; the issue is what does Ronny want to do, and does he have the money to spend?
Jelle Vossen may, or may not, be on the way, and he’s a different type of player to Hoops and would give us a different set of options, but it’s hard not to think about how well Hooper and Griffiths would link up in our starting eleven and not like the idea.
As I said earlier, this seems unlikely at best; it’s pure press speculation, and everyone knows how much I hate that, but he is available and I’m quite sure he sometimes wonders what might have been, had he stayed at Celtic Park.
In the meantime, the media continues to offer more hints about the future of Scott Allan, this time with the BBC leading off and saying both Celtic and Sevco have “made inquiries” about the player.
Of course, the writer is hiding behind that old hack standby that neither side has made a concrete offer – which is code for Celtic aren’t really interested and Sevco don’t have the money – but this sets things up nicely for another “Celtic snubbed” story when Allan’s future is sorted out.
I really don’t like that close season that much, but the transfer window is always good for a few laughs.
Anyone want to start a Riquelme rumour?
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see people who write these articles, and continue to speculate how one one striker would link with another…. Do they watch modern day football. Have they watched Celtic this last 12 months?
Are they stuck in the 90’s dreaming of Christian Vieri and Inzaghi up top with Baggio in behind.
Catch up mate, it’s 2015
surely you have to think about strike partners when it comes to talking about a complete team, i mean it is a TEAM afterall. griffths is a good wee player scores well, and links well …..as does hooper, the modern day game is really a game of smaller players with speed and low centres of gravity to turn big dfenders and it would also encourage us to play the ball on the ground, which again, is a part of the modern day game, i personally am all for the re-siginging of garry hooper, he is a top player and i dont want to continue with the way we have been doing business for strikers in the market, the pookies, baldes and so forth, if garry hooper could even give us 50% of what he has given us in the past that would be about 15 goals a season, which is way more than any celtic striker has given us in years,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,let that sink in a bit mate, yes pathetic stats
No.
He had his chance and he blew it. I hope his career is now filled with relegation battles, spells in the lower divisions and much mediocrity.
Ronaldinho is available on a free transfer.
Gary Hooper knows the club he is a goal scorer, I know that their is a mixed reaction between Celtic Supporters, I am sure if Gary Hooper came back to Paradise and play in the hoops and score 20 To 30 Goals, He would have the fans and everyone at Paradise on his side, So YES Please bring Gary Hooper Home Hail Hail.
Abdolutely not.Too lazy when he played for hoops.same applies to his time at norwich.
Again another player who left thinking he could do better elsewhere now he knows his mistake u only get one chance at celtic sorry no return HAIL HAIL
It is puzzling to me that Celtic have the best youth team in Scotland, yet few progress to the first team; Calvin Miller, O Connell are outstanding talents, yet we hear about some remote 19, 21 year olds from outer Mongolia being scouted. Hope we land the German left back, nevertheless and Boyata will slot in with Van Dyke, oh for a Bobby Collins, Bobby Evans, Bobby Murdoch……… Thanks, boys, for a great season and good fortune in the next one.
Amenable Gary Hooper may be but, I’m afraid I’m not one for taking players back. Certainly not if they’ve been complicit in engineering a move away from the biggest and best club in Scotland. Let him stew and rue the day he chose to leave us for a far inferior team, total lack of integrity but of course the money makes up for it, sorry James your not selling him to me. HH
See, I for one would welcome him back despite not being one to look backwards. But this is simple, a proven goalscorer with a track record in Europe for less than £5M. Anyone want to count up the cost of the failed strikers we’ve bought in the last few seasons? A £2M bargain here, a £2M bargain there… but you see that’s just it… they are not bargains, they are risks. Given that Celtic will have a sell on clause for Hoops then it is conceivable he could be affordable and it is an investment not a risk. Not because Hooper will increase in value, no… but he will get you goals which will bring in Champions League money. You put the ball at Hooper’s feet and he will score more often than not. 18 goals in 61 appearances for Norwich so it’s clear he wasn’t get a run in the team either through injury or the folly of Norwich playing Ricky Van Wolfswinkel in front of him whilst in the Premier League. It is a no brainer from me and he will settle straight in unlike a few we could all mention. Hoops for the Hoops!!
I’m afraid I always thought he was too lazy for Celtic and I can’t see RD accepting that type of attitude. So for me a big no.
What I think is needed is two up front Griffiths and AN Other from the ones we have.
I’m not one for resigning ex players but Hooper is a proven goal scorer and I think it might be worth thinking about, the only problem is when you resign a player they very rarely are anywhere near as good as they were first time around!!!!!