Efrain Juarez, Neil Lennon’s most expensive signing to date, looked good when he played in the early part of last season and from reports he seemed to have a pretty decent tournament for Mexico in the ‘Gold Cup’.
There’s reported interested from Spain and other clubs are interested in taking him away from Parkhead so I guess he must have done something right at some point.
So where did it all go wrong? That is something I would love to know the answer to and I’m sure Neil Lennon would like to know that too. So what’s your opinions on him? Should we let him rot on the bench, give him another chance in whatever his preferred position is or just get rid of by any means possible.
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I recently wrote about loan players and how us sending players out on loan wasn’t something I am a fan of, however, a few readers made the point that it’s better to get them off the wage bill if we are unable to sell a player. With that point in mind, I am now more in favour of players going out on loan.
I think that, at £3million, he might just be worth taking a second gamble on. It’s a gamble that may not pay off but if we sold him, I doubt we would get anywhere near that back.
I do also know a price tag doesn’t always mean a player will do well for you – does anyone remember Tore awfully slow, sorry Tore Andre Flo at Rangers?
Last season when Juarez did come on as a substitute, I don’t think he looked particularly interested in playing for us or at the very least, he looked slow, did not look comfortable on the ball and his passing did not look like that of a professional player.
On that basis, I think it’s just a mental thing – or a lack of confidence some may prefer to call it. Maybe he doesn’t like Scotland, which is fair enough, not everyone will.
I am not really in much a position to comment on Juarez early performances as I missed the early European ties from being on holiday but I feel the player that I heard about then is worth keeping.
Shortly after we were knocked out of European football, I heard that Juarez fell out with Neil Lennon and was unhappy at the prospect of a season without European football.
That was a rumour that I read online so I have no ideas how accurate the rumour was and now, I can’t even remember where I read it but it would make explain things to some extent.
Now, if that rumour is true, then he’s clearly an unprofessional and moody guy who never deserves to even walk through the front door of Celtic park, far less play for us again.
A more likely reason that he never played is perhaps because of the change of country. The guy is quite young and I imagine it cannot be easy for a player coming to Scotland and trying to settle in.
More so when the club in Scotland is Celtic, where this is almost constant media spotlight on you and a massive amount of people who want to know what you are doing and when you are doing it.
Needs a loan deal, play a few games and then next year sell him or keep him. Simply as that.
Give the guy a chance. He’s young, and he’s in alien environment.
I think if he adjusts to Scottish football, he’ll be better than Kayal( who’s probably going to leave soon anyway).
i think he absolutely deserves another chance. he started strong for us, and its just a shame that he was pushed out the team by ledley and brown. this is his season to shine, i’m sure lennon, if he hasnt already, will give him a right good kick up the arse and sort him out. for him to be so young and be a first team regular for a strong national team i cant believe he hasn’t played more for us.
Think expectation was on him fairly early due to his form pre-season, coupled with mexico farce, he was going through a tough time. Pity he wasnt in Oz, think it would have been a platform for him to play without pressure and get into the team again. Although Ki, Kayal and Ledley seem to have that position sussed.
For me, i would like to see him as an impact player, someone who can get in behind the strikers and score goals from midfield
Sign him on long term secure loan now this guys gonna be priceless we cannot let him go believe me I believe in this guy
HAIL HAIL
One more “weird” signing…..
(Freddy for one before you ask…)….
I just don’t understand this kind of situation….
I’ve heard that his off-field ” pastimes” are not exactly professional…if that’s the case he should be hunted…I’ve also heard he doesn’t train very well….so again…he should be hunted …..
My problem with this type of situation is….
there appears to be no good reason for it…but ..hey…we’re just the supporters ….it’s got nothing to do with us…..obviously.
My opinion , however, is that he doesn’t have a future with us….so if we don’t hunt him….
punt him….
at the start of last season he was excellent. give the bhoy a chance and im sure he can find that form again and be a big player for us.
hail hail.
i agree i thought he was by far our best midfielder early season then it just stopped after something happend on international duty, isay keep him .only problem is where to fit him in the team now
He came with a tag and his appearances were few. I for one was disappointed at this and left me scratching my head. Sometimes things happen at football clubs which I just don’t understand and this is one of those occasions.
Why two pages to this article? More earnings from the pop-ups? which are the most annoying and frustrating part of surfing web sites like this. Puts me and many others from returning so please chuck it. Does Efrain Juarez deserve a second chance? What about a first chance?
I’d like to think thre is still time for him to shine. I remember a few months ago Lenny mentioned in an interview that Juarez, along with another couple of players, were long term projects. I can’t remember the other names, but Juarez stuck in my mind as he wasn’t getting much game time, if any!
Hopefully we will se more of him next season.
I think he should be given an opportunity to stay. He appears to be flexible and could play in a number of positions. Guys like that are hard to find.
I think after Juarez was linked with ARSEnal by the mankie Scottish media his head seem to go, my opinion only but we,ll never know for sure.
Give the BHOY another chance.
I think we should give him a chance playing on the right hand side of midfield because he can play right back and left barcelona for the fact that they wanted him to be a right back and he scored against utrecht at home early last season and looked like a box to box midfielder, then the mexico scandal might not have went good with lennon and got to his head but he deserves a chance and can remember after the emirates tournement that arsenal where reported to be interested in him so he must be a good player if they can spot him out.
Get shot of him! We’ve got enough decent midfielders, and 3 rightbacks! Another player just floating around picking up a wage for doing nothing!
This guy plays with ‘heart’ and we need that. It’s also a big learning curve for someone like him who is probably even younger mentally than others his age. He’s nothing to prove to anyone in the SPL so give him a starting berth and his confidence will come good or ditch him and never know how good he is! Remember Larsson when he first arrived?
Young players from different cultures can take a while to settle at Celtic.
Perfect example was Stan Petrov who got slated his first season and a half and what a player he turned out to be.
Juarez has certainly got great potential – needs a but of nurturing by management team and for support to get 100% behind him. Hail Hail
more deserving of a second chance than Lennon
WHAT!? You seem slightly confused, it’s Lennon giving Celtic a chance ya muppet, where have you been? Dont you know this the hottest young managerial prospect around?
The man who picked out gems like Hooper, Kayal, Izzy and Commons for less than Walter Myth paid for Laughatme? I hope we can keep him when the big EPL teams come knocking, i heard Walter Myth is still deciding between Barcelona and Real Madrid by the way.
PS I was wondering if Mcoist, Wiggy and Craig “talks pure” Shyte might have seen Doof anywhere? He was last seen squeaking through the sewers headed north and we all know how desperate Rangers are to get any player they possibly can, hope they haven’t resorted to kidnapping ffs.
I personally think he ouzes class but needs to adapt to the more physical game in Scotland.A word in the fellow’s ear ‘You are too good to be langishing in the reserves’ from Lennon might just be the confidence booster he needs. Do I remember a certain Jock Stein man managing the greatest ever Celt ‘Jinky’ in the same way…the rest is history.I agree that Neil needs to get the best out of players and not just make excuses that the lad isn’t good enough. It was he, after all, who payed big bucks for him.
This guys got alot of potential he can play in numeras positions , the kids got talent or we wouldn’t have singed him for 3 million simple as that , like Lenny said this is only the beginning of things so I can see a future for the bhoy ! Let’s get another thing straight the Scottish media talk so much bull everyone believes it fft ! Hail Hail
wiggy; i heard on the wireless doof is headed this way via the sewers, reckon we can convince him lads?
fat sally: och i don’t know.
craig shyte: well how can we find him? i found a jar of pound notes in murrays old drawer we can use, it had a picture of a labrador in a yellow florescent harness, cute wee thing
wiggy; well that’s easy, last time he nested in the sewer beneath the car park
fat sally: right enough, so you want to bring in that vile cretin who wouldn’t be welcome in a hungry lions cage? great idea! the hoards absolutely love him, he can’t play football but the chav hoards wont care.
craig shyte: right then, ally shut the f#ck up and head down through one of the huge holes in the pipes even you can fit through, wiggy with me
wiggy; where we going boss?
craig shyte: we need to get a pair of beatties shorts as a makeshift sack, im not buying one, what do you think im made of money
ally: i may aswell wait th….
wiggy; shut up ally and go unless you want a durranty style slap round the napper