Earlier in the week, something really interesting came out of the mouth of the Celtic manager, and it flared briefly in the media before dying down, and nobody did a proper analysis of it. It would have been as well going unremarked on.
Some of our fan sites mentioned it, and they got the point of it, but mainly it has trended on forums, amongst those want another excuse to criticise the board. They have parsed Rodgers statement for signs of non-ambition and think they’ve found one.
But in fact, what they’ve spotted is just common sense. Rodgers says that we need a striker for the January window, but before he spends money, he wants to see what options there are in the academy first.
I can tell him right now; unless Rocco Vata signs a new deal there really aren’t any, unless there’s more to some of our players than meets the eye.
Yet this is a hopeful sign. Rodgers is probably well aware that there’s nobody in the academy who can step up to do this particular job, but it won’t be the last job needing done and he’s got his eyes on that part of the operation.
I think that was part of the message he’s sending – he’s telling our kids “I’m looking for you to step up.” But more, he’s taking a swing at those in the media who accuse us of not being interested in developing our own players.
Because of course we are. Development players are the most exciting players, more so even than big money signings.
There is nothing more thrilling than seeing some young comer who has been in your youth ranks breaking into the first team and becoming the hot property.
The top clubs want these sorts of players above any others … and our media seems to think that we prefer to spend on projects rather than raising our own. That’s the unbelievable allegation which has been thrown at us by the likes of Ewan Murray, that we would rather fork out millions when the answers could be right under our noses.
But the simple fact is, this has never been true.
And now we have a manager at the helm again who has a history of development and bringing forward good young players, and he’s making sure that they know it and remember it. At the same time, he’s putting the critics back in their box.
It’s nuts, this whole mad idea they have that we are somehow neglecting, or not focussed on, a huge, multi-million-pound part of our operation. As if we would do that. As if we were that daft. We are owed an apology by these jokers.
Rodgers is saying to them “before I spend money, I’ll look there first” and it’s so obvious that I’m amazed some people have treated it as if it’s a revolutionary thought, or an act of heresy.
This is not proof of lack of ambition or his hands being tied, this is Rodgers checking out the most obvious source, the one inside our own house.
And whilst he won’t find the answer this time, be prepared to be surprised.
If there was a prospect in there ready tae take the next step, ah think we’ve the right person in charge tae bring that bit more out of him. At this stage of the season tho, we need players who’ve a better chance of makin an immediate impact. Tbh, ah don’t think Shankland would be a bad move. We could easily put a much better deal on the table than that lot. Thats IF he’s interested in comin tae us.
In the Japanese J-League (1) no more than 5 foreign players can be listed per game.
This encourages the development of Japanese players to aspire to play
in the most lucrative League at home. Would this outrage the Hacks and SPL Clubs if I
suggested the same for the SPL?
Celtic FC Academy and B team are mostly Scots. They play in a serious League..,
not Friendlies. I think Glasgow would be pleased.
This season’s league is far too critical to be taking risks with ‘developments’ from our own academy stable…
Factor in Cheats with whistles, flags and monitors and we most definitely need a proven goal scorer to see us over the line –
For me that’d be Shankland…
And as for apologies from The Scottish Football Media –
We will never ever get one (they don’t have it in them for starters)…
And I wouldn’t want it – Simply because they absolutely wouldn’t mean it one little bit !
be prepared to be surprised. A would be amazed, b team lying 9th in lowland league with 7 wins and a draw from 15 matches. a lot of money going into development but not a great return or am i being unfair?
If there’s one element of Brendan Rodgers management style that I am not concerned about, it’s how he handles the press. He is excellent at it. He is also excellent, as we all know, at making good players better. So I was not concerned one bit about his statement re: a striker. He knows what he is doing and he knows what he is saying.
Do you remember that game against the chimps we won 5-1 and Dembele scored a hat-trick (a proper one as well: one with the head, one with the left and another with the right)? Up until then, Griff was our striker and was on fire. He scored a cracker the previous week against Aberdeen to make it 1-0 but came off soon afterwards and and the HUNgry for Celtic to fail reporters were wetting themselves about him not being available for the first “Old Firm” (sic) game of the season.
After the 5-1 game, the Sky reporter’s first words to Brendan Rodgers were “Leigh Who”? Brendans smile instantly turned to a scowl and immediately reminded the Sky man about something called respect.
I have loved that man ever since. Sure we’ve had our ups and downs but, then, doesn’t every relationship? Lolz.
The problem solely lies at the doors of the SFA and backed by the Hun scum cheerleaders also.
A major problem within Scottish football is development, has been for years, and yet we remain the only club with a solution, but deprived of being allowed to implement it, due to the voting rights from diddy clubs that provide nothing to Scottish football?
There should be a simple 3 step process involved for the younger development player’s for which the bigger clubs within Scottish football would benefit, like the overall Scottish game could also imo.
Step 1) keep the lowland league programme intact as it is without promotion involved.
Step 2) Allow for a 2nd team to be allowed to play within the lower leagues. The furthest they can go is to championship level, as can’t have 2 teams in the same division from the same club. Also wouldn’t be allowed into the cup competitions, where only 1 club would be eligible, but the players from the 2nd team would be?
3) We have our 1st team as it is, and certain rules outside of cup matches only need to be applied between the use of 1st and 2nd team players?
Surely we aren’t talking about rocket science to make the adjustments to Scottish football where all could benefit from?
We already have an available team just sitting there, should be playing at least at championship level, with enough experience and room for the development process to increase, especially for the Scottish youngsters involved.
Instead we have to hope a loan system works for ourselves, and using a potential system where other Scottish clubs could benefit from us giving them players, and yet such an anti Celtic agenda in play within Scottish football?
Of course it’s sitting there for ourselves and ready to go also, and hardly a financial burden upon the club either, the opposite in fact.
But yet as the scum aren’t in a position to do so financially, along with the same within the SPFL teams, then a simple solution can’t be applied to potentially benefit the whole of Scottish football, especially with far bigger income available to be bought into the overall game imo?
If anyone thinks our fans moan now about the lack of European success, and by that I mean getting into the last 16, then God only knows what having a maximum of 5 foreign players would mean. Not qualifying for any CL or EL group stages and the lowest of low, if it’s possible for us to stoop lower as a country, coefficient thus no automatic group stage qualification. In fact I’m gonna chuck in the ECL as well. What a thought.
Shankland would add to and fit the registered Scottish players minimum in European competitions but I have a feeling that though the jam farts would maybe sell him to the rankers for around £3m that they would want us to pay more to acquire him. Only possible I suppose if we’re the only bidder.
Call me cynical but them accepting a price from the rankers and us matching or bidding slightly higher would evidence that. Or even a bidding war, that I suspect wouldn’t last too long.
However should they name and/or accept a price that both clubs are prepared to meet, then it would be really interesting to see which club Shankland chose to sign for. I’ve heard from differing sources that he supports one club then from another source that he supports the other club.
However I don’t think we should just accept that he’s the man and that that’s where the search should end. HH
Would he do a job? Probably
A loan with option to buy with an American MLS, is beckoning for Michael Andrew Johnston. The back defense of many MLS clubs is generally less structured and lose
compared to good European clubs. This will allow Mikey to shine. In USA he can reinvent
himself. Mikey. a kiddie name, is wimpy. It must be Mike in the USA. Just as Ally or Jamesy, would be Al and Jim, both manly names. Babe Ruth and Bubba Watson were among the best, Their names become brands. In the failing State of the USA, Mikey’s name could become a brand.