It’s another transfer window and we’ve got more speculation regarding our main men.
First up from our team, Joe Ledley and Samaras, they’re both in a slightly different position from the guys I’ve mentioned earlier as they can leave at the end of the season and both players can sign a pre contract agreement with any other club if they feel the desire to do so.
Of course with Celtic being the only “big” club in Scotland, our team will dominate the transfer headlines and I’ve already lost count of the players that we’ve already been linked with.
That said, I’m a bit disappointed that the usual suspects haven’t been lined up yet – Robbie Keane, Craig Bellamy and Shay Given are some of the usual contenders.
When you look at our team just now, I think we need some more creativity – I doubt many fans will disagree with that. I also think that Anthony Stokes needs a strike partner.
He played well up front with Gary Hooper and I don’t think he has become a bad player. I guess with the amount of time he spends outside of the box, it stands to reason that he wont score very many goals. It’s time to get Stokes back in the box and get him back to what he does best.
Although I never saw the games over in Turkey, I was aware that some of the younger players were given a chance so I hope that we are able to see more of them in competitive matches.
I was listening to a podcast on hailhail media recently, I can’t remember what one as I listen to most of them, but one of the guys was saying that, growing up, Gerry Creaney was one of their favourite players. It wasn’t because Gerry was a world beater but more because fans like to see a local lad who supports the team coming in to do a job.
For the record, Gerry did have a decent scoring record for us.
I am hopeful that some of our young players can get some competitive game time. For years, our youth teams have been pretty successful yet very few of them seem able to make the jump up from youth to first team player.
Never mind their age, do they have the ability or the potential ? Two contrasting examples of teams who are playing young players this season are Hearts and Dundee Utd.
I think both of those clubs show how difficult it can be to integrate young players. Hearts are not doing very well and Dundee Utd are doing very well in comparison.
I certainly couldn’t care less about this sort of record. Last season, I can’t remember how many points we ended up with. I know that we were league champions but I don’t know how many wins, losses and draws we had.
Agreed. I would rather see a young player given a chance than us signing yet another Daryl Murphy or mo bangura.
Given the fabulous performances put in by some of our youngsters in Turkey…
You’d think they’d be right in with a shout of first team recognition this week-end…
No chance…
That’s not the way Lenny operates…which I disagree with as it happens…
He’s very much a ” pick my favourites” type of coach…not my idea I have to say…
But he’s in charge…
Oh and about the “undefeated ” target for the season….??
My worry here is…the longer we go undefeated…the less likely he is to tamper with the team…and so the “fringe” guys get ignored again….
I agree with you…if we get beat some day…so be it…but give youth a chance Lenny…please…
Amajor obstacle to the introduction is the managers reluctance to give the young fellas a run. meanwhile,anybody who criticises forrest provokes a defence of him in the press. I say before and I repeat, lenny has stored up problems for himself by playing his favourites and he cant deny this but I am sure he will. A queue of pissed of players is what is coming his way when they see who is getting the nod in front of them. Why cultivate young players if you are not going to give them the platform.
Mike you are right I wish he give some of the younger player a chance they have showen that they can play We just seem to go out I bye player that are not any better than the player we have on the under 21 reserve team Hail Hail JMJ
Plenty of talent in our young sides The reason they do not seem to make progress is two fold I believe one obvious reason is lack of opportunity the other I believe is our young sides are well trained and very fit and play together for several years and are successful as a team.As they mature their attitude to football and life changes and some will lose the desire to be the best as other activities become more important than football.As to not losing a game it is not a realistic or even a desirable goal but maybe Celtic thinks it might bring in a few more fans?.It looks like 2 strikers maybe become the exception rather than the norm as more and more of the better teams are looking at the modern midfielder instead of the striker.
GOod read that. The undefeated thing for me doesn’t matter, give me young developing players in the team, cutting their teeth possibly with the odd defeat over 1-0 wins using the same tried & tested players week in & out. Paul George away to Hamilton, why not at Celtic?
Remember the joy seeing Tony Watt score two at Motherwell? Dylan’s goal against StMirren? That’s what fans want.
You only have to look at what Vilanova did to Barcelona to see why Celtic running their starting eleven into the ground and stifling their youth development to chase a league record is a terrible idea.
Good article,Steve.
Yes,young players should get more of a
chance.
But,you have to trust Lenny’s judgement,
when to put them in.
I don’t recall any young player, in recent
times, who has left us and made it big in
the game ?
ZAluskA looks world class now
Jamie forrest is a local lad, so is tony watt. All glesga bhoys so I don’t know where your going with that?
James Forrest is young scottish and already a target for boo bhoys, Tony Watt given opertunities but not up to the grade.
Gerry Craeny was a terific finisher , booed , Simon Donnelly again , Sean Malloney again , why are all the fans so fickle and full of double standards ? Hh a fan
Einstein Agogo,
You make alot of sense ! ( get a spell check)