I can hold my two widow makers, my right and left and hold them up so far and woof profusely and exclaim that the transfer window for us Bhoys has not been exactly blown open by humongous ticker tape multi headline winning transfer targets as of yet.
The big names have been linked, well some have if you can call them big names, but yet we wait to see which new Bhoys can grace the back of our jerseys. I have I once exuded that long gone are the days of £6 million signings and we have to rely on our scouting network to find us gems on the cheap.
We have not broke the bank as yet. Victor Wanyama cost a cool £1 million spondoolix and as of yet in the friendlies he has played in he has seemed comfortable but we will probably see more of him tomorrow night maybe in the twitterfest friendly against Wolves.
Adam Matthews and Kelvin Wilson have come in on free transfers, which to mine keen eye seems a great couple of catches already. Kelvin seems very athletic and with the right nurturing will develop into a very well established centre half. Matthews I have not seen enough of to pass real judgement as of yet, he looks decent from what I have seen but the cliche phrase of the jury is out comes to mind, for now anyways.
Which all leads me to the excessive trialists that we either have or have not had on board at Lennoxtown and riding the first team pony around in friendlies and the likes.
I have scoured the online media world as such and come up with a few great dink-dank-doo splendid videos of our current trialists that we may see more of IF they pass the test.
First stop Stipe. If you have not seen him or heard of him by now you are maybe not a football connoisseur or just new to football maybe, who knows. Whatever your level of football knowledge sit back and have a look back at the goalkeeping exerts of Stipe Pletikosa in action: –
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Stipe looks a bit handy, but it has been told that Mr Lennon will be casting his keen eye over Stipe in tomorrow nights friendly against McCarthys Wolves. With Wolves having arguably more attacking talent than Cardiff, Stipe may be tested more by Doyle, Ebanks-Blake and Fletcher. I would expect a full decision to be made by next week at the latest. Lennon may want another look when we face Inter Milan this coming weekend.
Enough talk of the progressive conversation about the goalkeeping void and straight onto the ‘Do we have enough firepower up front’ debate. This debate has been partially answered by a few key trialists that are in our camp at the moment.
If you ever wanted a striker with a nickname that could strike fear into opponents (Other than Big Bad John of course) it would be Killer Mphela. The South African born, bred and based predator Katelgo Mphela is a striker that has been plying his trade for the effervescently named Mamelodi Sundowns and at 26 years of age he has bags of goalscoring seasons ahead of him.
For his current club he has scored a recorded 33 goals in 70 games which is not a bad goals to games ratio for a striker. His goalscoring record states he is doing his job but can he do a job for Celtic? We have yet to see him in the hoops but here is what Killer Mphela is capable of: –
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Killer Mphela is not the only striker we have on trial, big Dolph Mjallby let loose that we have once Celtic linked Slovakian Milos Lacny also on board and on trial. Not much is known about this young player but I have managed to seek out a video of him in action and from what I can see he looks nippy and a very eager 23 year old, have a look for yourself Bhoys and Ghirls: –
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Well Bhoys and Ghirls its over to you.
I know its easy to comment on seeing all the best bits in video form but what do you think?
Is Mphela Celtic material?
Can Stipe stop the goals leaking?
Can Lacny help out our lack of extra firepower?
Comment as you wish…
I’m unsure of my thoughts on all these trials. We have known for months what we needed. Our scouting network has proved able in the past but why does it seem that we are raking about in a lucky bag hoping to pull a flying saucer and not a gummy bear?
Stipe ticks all the boxes. The others you need to ask if they will score more than Stokes or more importantly score more than Samaras who has a Heskeyesq knack of being a non scoring striker…
Is that your dad at the top of the page? It looks like him. Saw him yesterday trying to get into ‘WoktoEat’? when it was shut. Anyway I’ll have a look at the vids now….
Pletikosa worries me. The vid must contain a hundred saves and only once (I think) does he catch it – all the rest are punches and pings and the video will hardly be impartial – how many punches and pings ended in goals for the opposition? How many goals would result in the SPL with so many spillages? Boruc worried me from time to time but at least he caught the ball occasionally! We need a long, long hard look at this guy and if we sign him it should be on a game by game contract so we can get rid if need be.
82 CAPS for a country who haven’t been outside the top 10 in the world since he started his career. Played for two of the most successful clubs in their respective leagues. That’s pressure. That’s the attitude and concentration boxes ticked. Plus he is for free.
anyone else notice that stipe is making a save against us at 2:03! Cant tell who its for or when it was though (cant be arsed googling it tbh)
in fact make that 2:51 as well, and I’ve just realised its Spartak Moscow. D’oh!
He help Spartak get that game to penalties that night. He was a presense.
The guy is 32 and has made only 255 first team apps for his clubs. Since he turned pro in 1996 that’s an average of 17 apps per season. To be fair, he only became Hajduk Split’s regular first team goalie in season 98/99 – so if you calculate the stats based on that its about 19 and a half apps per season. He shipped 4 goals in his last game which was for Spurs and Redknapp never played him again. Hajduk Split was hardly a big club. Shakhtar are a bit bigger but he wasn’t getting a regular game there either, neither was he at his next club Spartak Moscow. I wonder if Croatia had anyone else to put in goal? I know he had one good tournament for them in 2008, but thats about it. My comments stand – I know we cant pick and choose, but I’d be wary of him and do my due diligence – then only sign on game by game basis or at best a rolling contract.
The game v Arsenal, which he played saw a Spurs reserve team and David Bentley play. ‘Arry was no bothered about that game. He was signed as back up for Spurs. Did you read Bilics comments about him? The guy has it.
Then Marcus Hedman had similiar credentials….
Btw, there’s a theory that we are still in for Forster and Pletikosa is a back up plan. If we do sign him SP, I hope he makes me eat my words. If he pulls the jersey on in earnest I’ll back him 100%
I thought the same as Charlie O’Donnell,he doesn’t seem to catch too many,however the boy Mephela looks like he may be worth a punt,(can even score from the spot!)and would surely be better than Samaras,mind you ma grannies dug wid be better than Samaras
I reckon all goalies are coached not to catch the thing nowadays and get tolded to palm and punch as far as possible.
I’d sign the keeper now. I think he’d be worth his weight in gold in this Celtic team.
In all these clips, his defenders looked like they had 100% confidence in him. For me, that’s what counts.
In some strange way I reckon the back line had confidence in Double F last season…unsure why.
Prefer to wait until tonight and maybe Inter game to offer a balanced view..
So far..
Stipe looked ok v Cardiff – if the Wolves websites are anything to go by then expect him to get pummelled tonight..
video of the Killer looks promising: two feet, headers, brave , pacey – makes ye wonder ‘what’s the catch’?
3rd guy could hardly tell anything
time will tell
hail, hail
SBB
I’d sign “Killer”, just because he’s called killer.