Ryan Christie put speculation to one side the other day when signed a contract extension with Bournemouth. And what was the speculation?
That he might return to Celtic Park. Man, I have no idea where that story came from in the first place. It was not realistic. He’s on megabucks down there and he was not coming back here to play for less.
Ryan Christie left Celtic for money in the first place.
I’ve listened to every one of his protestations on this issue and none of them are remotely convincing. Bournemouth is the club he wanted to play for? Really? He likes the seaside, does he? He’s repeated this so many times that he long ago started to sound like someone trying to convince himself rather than us.
But he went for the cash, and that truth has never been very far beneath the surface. And I don’t mind that, not really, only all the dancing around it. Knowing it, I was under no illusions that his coming back here was ever a realistic prospect and it’s one of those stories that seemed to come out of nowhere with no reasoning behind it.
I like Ryan Christie as a footballer, a hell of a lot at that and I liked the way he stayed committed right until the moment he was no longer at Parkhead.
What I liked about his last three months at the club was that he gave everything under Ange and looked as if he fitted right into the system.
It’s a rare thing that a player in the last months of his deal gives you anything like his best, but I thought Christie was superb in those closing stages of his Celtic career, after he’d gone backwards under Lennon to the point where it was a standing joke that his instructions were “run then shoot!”
Christie, on his game, is a terrific player, really exciting to watch, and so if the chance had come for us to take him back, I would not have objected one bit.
His best football was under Rodgers; he showed himself to be a great attacking weapon in the right system and he would slot back into this team like a hand in a glove. I just didn’t think it would happen.
He’s a regular down there.
He has played more than 70 games in the last two and a half seasons and I would have been amazed if he didn’t extend his deal.
Even if he hadn’t, I think he’s good enough that he’d have had other offers in England. The only way he was coming back here is if he genuinely missed the club and the city and wanted to come back.
I have no doubt that Ryan Christie has great memories of Celtic, but it’s the same as with Kieran Tierney; these guys have moved on, they’ve tasted the big bucks and they want more of that.
I think Tierney would have come back in the summer if he’d not got the offer from Spain but that was as much to do with his simply wanting to play as it was with wanting to come back to us.
I don’t mind that these lads have a thirst for the lifestyle, that’s what they deserve for how hard they work on their talent and the discipline they show to stay in shape; there’s a mentality involved which is just as important as skill and these guys have made good on it all.
I don’t grudge them a second of it, but in almost every case it will put them out of our reach. As long as these lads have such options, we’ll not get near them.
I for one, hope that he never darkens our door step, ever, this is the same wee numpty that threw the towel in under Lennon and one of the players that the fans actually wanted to strangle. Supposedly received a text message from his wife telling him that Lennon had been sacked , I know Lennon,s time was up ,but that is not acceptable so for that reason, he should buy a sun lounger and stay put. He is just a wee shit on my shoe .
Totally agree that it was nothing but a money issue in regards of wages?
I believe that we have finally increased our wage bracket during the summer, with the increased contracts to key players.
In turn this should allow for Rodgers to be able to attract the player’s he’s hoping for imo.
The squad needed increasing, especially when we seen how we were struggling towards the end of last season, with squad numbers.
Also a fair few players under contracts given during Anges time,that aren’t in the plans of Rodgers whatsoever by the looks of things.
There was always going to be a period of transition when Ange left, but not buying into this bullshit that we are worse off for it either.
A process was required, and was never going to be totally resolved in one transfer window either.
Ange done a fantastic job for ourselves, but also legged it when the big decisions were waiting also.
Never rated the majority of our Scottish players that were required for CL.
Not every player was a big success either, but was hugely compensated by the ones who were a massive success?
Not a total mess by any means, but certainly a big increase within the wage bill currently, that potentially will increase yet again in January imo.
There is always an element of wasted wages within any club, and ours is way to high currently for my liking, but this also comes with the cost of transition with a change of manager involved.
Can accept not every player the club signs is going to be a success, but this only increases when a new manager comes in, and doesn’t fancy many he has inherited also.
Possibly added a few during the summer also, but possibly making that assessment is better left until the end of the season, to tidy up the current situation.
Our record over the past few seasons, with bringing in so called ready-made 1st team players with the extra experience has hardly been to impressive either?
Barkas, Ajeti, Duffy, Mccarthy and now Philips all came with an impressive enough pedigree, but hardly worked out well for ourselves either?
So nothing is guaranteed within the markets we are trying to operate within?
This talk of signing CL ready-made players remains as nothing more than bullshit talk,as we can’t afford to operate within those markets.
So we will always remain in trying to develop players to potentially able to preform at that level, along with the hindrance the 8 homegrown rule brings with it, and won’t get resolved, potentially ever either.
Christie was a potential option to improve matters, even if a longshot?
And the development conveyor belt hardly looks to impressive either, for the future?
As much as I can agree that there still remains many problems within the overall squad that need resolving, I still won’t buy into the saying of things are as bad as some are trying to make out, especially while we were very much in transition mode during the summer.
Still believe January will be more about tidying up a mess Rodgers felt he inherited with a number of players, and can also focus more so upon what he’s hoping to develop with this Celtic team, as not totally convinced as of yet what Rodgers is looking for as of yet, maybe things might become clearer come January imo.