Today I recorded the new podcast; you can listen to it at the bottom of the page.
I was joined by two long time friends of mine, Jonny Garner and Matthew Marr; both have written for the blog, Matthew is of course a Celtic historian, an author who has written a book about our first ever team. I called it The Elephant In The Room edition, and the subject is the transfer window.
And as I sat down to write this, Jonny sent me a story about us signing a second keeper, after we’d been alerted to a story about us going for a winger, and the question he asked me was “Are Celtic about to make us look stupid?” It was said in jest, but I got his point.
The thing is, it would be a nice thing if they were. It would be a very welcome thing if they were. The reason we kick the club is out of love. We want progress made; we aren’t content to see us live life in the slow lane. We want Celtic to be all it can be.
Today there are stories suggesting we’re about to sign players in a number of positions, and if this is true – and the word here is “if”- we are all going to be much happier, even those of us who spent an entire podcast episode, just his morning, telling the club what it was doing wrong.
Not only would the signs of life be good, but the areas in which we’re looking to make the signings are interesting.
Two keepers, one experienced, the other young. Bernardo, on the way back. I’d like to see signs that we’re moving forward with the Idah deal, but that one looks like it’s going to drag on no matter how frustrating that is. The news today that we’re also looking at a winger from Antwerp is highly interesting … listen to the podcast and you’ll understand why.
It’s an area all three of us thought had to be looked at, so there’s little doubt that it would be a hugely popular decision, as we badly need the proper replacements for Jota and Abada which we so far have not had. In my view, this would be a game changer.
Yes there are areas where we need players and where that need is obvious. A left back is still crucial, a centre back, I’d sign a central midfielder as well regardless of signing Bernardo and if we sell Matt we’ll need another one … but maybe the rebuild is now finally underway.
It’s not before time.
And as we wait … you can listen to the latest podcast episode below!
There will shortly be some different options for listening to these, so if you guys can bear with me just a couple more days on that front, I’ll have some news there.
I think the Central Midfield is going to be the area we don’t necessarily jump to strengthen as I think BR may be thinking Bosun coming back from loan will be like a new signing in the middle & will be able to come in to bolster it. He looks a physical specimen & what small clips I’ve seen from pre-season (against low level opposition granted) he looks to be able to ping a pass about the park too.
It does calm my nerves to see reports for linked players that appear to have more weight behind the headline.
For the sake of your sanity, James, I hope you are right. As you have written before, some of your articles bomb and some (hopefully most) capture the interest of many. It’s the nature of the beast I suppose. But it doesn’t take a genius to work out that the articles that capture interest will be the ones where you provide news of a positive nature and offer your insight into that news. I am no different, that’s what I want to hear. Don’t get me wrong, I share a lot of your political views and I do enjoy reading your pieces on history or classic literature that has shaped (or is shaping now) the political landscape. But I’m here mainly because I don’t want to read MSM guff that is written by a cretin. I want to read about Celtic and Celtic related news. And if there’s no Celtic news, it’s challenging for everyone, including me.
Please God, let this be the week that something actually happens. I am calm about it but I’d much rather the business was done now if possible.
The podcast is going on now. I’m glad you’ve got guests on this one. Let’s see how you guys bounce off each other. I’m looking forward to it.
Idah and Bernardo were squad players with no indication they could hold down a shirt. Another winger? Kuhn, Yang, Forrest, Maeda, Johnston… Well we won’t be short if one of them gets injured. Meanwhile we have one left back. I’m not impressed. Talk of spending £ms on a keeper we’re just that when all we had to do was look for one of the skip loads of experienced keepers free and out of contract.
We need a Left Back. We need a striker that is good enough to replace Kyogo and we need a decent, experienced central midfielders to help out MacGregor. A good centre back would be nice. Will we get any of those? Doubt it
Pat you are such a positive guy gushing with pish every other post you send.
Try and brighten up a bit, I swear you will enjoy it!!
Your a good story teller.
Matt orielly 20 million having a laugh. Would not count in the big league.
Enjoyed the Podcast James. Good to know that my thoughts on Daddy Lawwell and the Board dragging their heels are not the result of ‘Group think’, ‘ Celtic Cyber Space bubble’ or just my personal inane dribbling manifested as ‘Howling at the Moon’ but they are actually mirrored by many.
I commented on one of your posts over the last few days about ‘Perception’ regarding the Pater Pete effect. One of the points I made was about the stock reply by his apologists to any criticism of his role; “ah but the Chairman’s role is symbolic, it’s purely ceremonial and he doesn’t have any day to day input in the Club”. My answer was always that he didn’t need to get involved in the minutiae because the Club had been shaped in his image after, what was it, 17 years or so with him at the helm.
Every single Celtic Official had been chosen, promoted or trained and put in place by him. They all know his thinking on any number of issues and forevermore they will act per his instructions. He does not need to be in the building. Their loyalty is to Lawwell, not Celtic and not the fans.
The Club will be run as befits Don Pietro.
Will it change, well all you have to do is think of who got the CEO’s post before the invisible man MN and how long did that last.
Celtic’s loss is the SRU’s gain.
Once DD sells up it may be different and who knows, the Share Price is looking very tempting, it could be sooner rather than later.