Cameron Carter Vickers
The first of them is Cameron Carter Vickers, who the more I see the more I think is head and shoulders above any defender we’ve had since Van Dijk and would be a contender for the bench on my Celtic select; right now, at central defence in that one, I have Van Dijk and Paul Elliot. Is he as good as Elliot?
Time will tell but he deserves to be mentioned in that company.
Carter Vickers is such an outstanding performer that I knew we would have to snap him up in the summer, although the transfer fee was massive, or he was going to be one of those guys we would be talking about in years to come with tremendous regret.
It is clear, as clear as it can be, that although we paid big money that we are certainly going to make a mammoth profit on him if and when he leaves the club. I think he could play anywhere.
I think our good fortune in taking this guy on loan when his career appeared to be going nowhere is the proof that someone inside the Parkhead operation knows their stuff.
We don’t know how good he could be yet; that’s the amazing thing about it.
I’m sure we all hoped that we’d get an extended run in Europe to see the big man test himself at that level, for this season anyway that’s not to be. But he looks a class apart in Scotland, that’s for sure.
Some very good footballers we have, but no real elite, world class players. Van Dijk, is absolutely outstanding, Haaland as well. I also like young Foden, and Grealish, but both sides have world class all over the park. O’reilly, Juranovic, Jota, are very good players, but to be elite and world class, you need to prove it at the highest level.
Lustig was never in O’Neils teams. He joined us in 2012. You were thinking of Ulrik Laursen?
No disrespect James, but your choices show why you didn’t get it right with Van Dijk.
All good players, but only Carter-Vickers nudging at world-class at the moment. We did very well to get him.
I think it’s impossible to say who’ll reach VVD’s level or even Tierney’s. I think the players you mentioned with the exception of Liel Abada are among out best and will be looking at some point for a big move. However CCV was absent from CL and Hatate only had one good game against Real Madrid. The others were mediocre as was Jota. A lot depends on how they develop over the next year and how they perform in CL remaining games and next year.
Hatate is inconsistent and seems to lose focus
Not sure what O’R’s best position is but if he is to play a more attacking role he needs to improve his shooting, he’s scored way too few goals so far and he doesn’t look as though he can blast them in.
Abada is too inconsistent and can’t really dribble. His all round game needs to improve. He gets into good scoring positions when there are weaker defenses.
CCV strolls it in the SPFL but we need to see him against better opposition.
At the moment I’d say hatate is the most likely to earn us 30M pounds.
Potentially, we have a few players who could become world class – if they keep developing, and then do a VVD and transfer to a CL winning club.
I am becoming a bit of fanboy for Abada.
Didn’t take much notice of him last season, as Jota and Kyogo were blowing the opposition away. But this season Abada has shown glimpses of his real potential.
World Class though? Nowhere near it just now, but who knows in the future…?
Keaton Teirney I n my mind was the best back since Danny Mcgrain and I agree about Virgil