John Hartson believes that Georgios Samaras has reached the point of no return at Celtic and should quit for his own good.
The patience of the Celtic support has expired on Samaras who has scored three SPL goals in the last 18 months.
Unlike many former players now working as pundits Hartson isn’t afraid to duck the main talking points and knows the mood of the Celtic support as well as anyone.
Despite his own popularity Hartson took plenty of stick from the Celtic support, as he competed with Chris Sutton to play alongside Henrik Larsson, and understands the mentality and demands of playing for the club.
Lots of Celtic fans have been prepared to go alongwith Neil Lennon’s judgement on Samaras but with no goals so far this season Hartson believes that it’s time for the player and club to cut their losses.
“Georgios Samaras should keep his head down and work hard then quit Celtic come January,” the Welshman told The Sun. “That’s my advice to the lad for his career and his state of mind.
“In the whole time I’ve been associated with Celtic I’ve never come across a player who is disliked so much by his own support. I’ve probably discussed him in this column more than any other player.
“From the messages I get from people he’s becoming a bit of a scapegoat for Celtic fans now.
“I can see why Neil Lennon went with him against Rangers in that 4-2 derby defeat.
“Samaras gives you that physical presence that maybe other strikers don’t. He’s got that blistering pace to get away from people. He’s got the height to win headers.
“But for me one good game in six or seven isn’t what you want from a Celtic striker.
“He got a decent reception against Udinese when he came off the bench in midweek but as soon as his first touch went astray nearly all the fans were up in arms giving him stick.
“I know he’s a tremendous professional. I’ve been at the training ground and watched him working but sometimes there comes a point when you have shot your bolt at a club and you can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.
“For the meantime, if and when he’s called upon by his manager, he’ll have to do his best despite the adversity of the crowd and the boos. Then when the window opens he can try and sort out another club.”
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He should have been shown the door in the summer. He’s a striker paid to score goals. He doesn’t score and that’s his problem. 6 goals last season is just not good enough
as i’m aware it’s 3 goals in his last 40 League games for Celtic. he only scored 3 league goals last year (2 in one game / v Rangers!!!)
No goals this year.
in 48 games for Greece – 6 goals!!!
His record is dire throughout his career. Just a one season wonder in Holland years ago.
Sadly for me I think big John is right, Lenny must be very very careful he doesn’t get dragged down by big sammi.
Although I wish every Celtic player would become a legend at Celtic park in the real world that can’t be.
In my circle of friends there a now a fair few not attending because of Lenny playing Samaras. If Lenny picks Sammi in the future I will back him, let’s not boo any Celtic players please dosen’t help anybody.
hartson really p***** me off,he is always bringing celtic down,and last week i nearly chocked on my cup of tea,he said “sadly i need to write this(his collumn in the sun)to pay the bills as at my time at the club i wasnt paid enough too put my feet up when i retired”-i couldnt believe it-30k+ a week not counting win bonuses,goal bonuses etc,and hes making out he was poorly paid,i used to have respect for john -but now?? he can go f*** off,this was the man oneil gambled his job on when he signed him,this was the man that only ended up at celtic because rangers pulled out of a deal to sign him no other club would touch him with a barge pole-john you are just another ass licking member of the laptop loyal,imo you are 1 little notch above mo jo-celtic looked after you-where were you during the uefa cup final? injured the same as 1/4 of your time at celtic,sammy at least chases down defenders-something you never done,any good you done for celtic is now tainted in my eyes,and even that was because larsson carried you on his back-your true colours are now being shown SHAME
Joebhoy
I wasn’t aware of Johns article as a don’t buy any Scottish mankie rags. If this is true what you say about big John and I’ve reason to doubt you, it looks as if he’s went the way of many ex celts in the Scottish media. Abuse the hoops and you,ll go along way within the mankie Scottish media.
that’s nonsense, comparing John Hartson to Maurice Johnston. Problem is too many happy clapper Celtic fans don’t want Celtic criticised EVER! If we all behaved like that then we’d have accepted the crap from the Kellys & the Whites, the rebels would not have won & Fergus McCann wouldn’t have ever been at Celtic. There are times when Celtic of course need criticised. Take yer green blinkers off mate. Hartson loves Celtic. I think you’re a hun having a laugh, comparing him to Samaras & making out Samaras was better LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
Embarrassing mate.
aye its embarrasing-mo jo could run for 90 mins
Written by a bufoon who obviously never saw Hartson play for us. Big John is and always will be a Celtic legend. He is one player who never gave less than 100%.
The fact is even players like Sutton, Thompson and Petrov were prone to their little tantrums, but never big John. So your assessment is so far off the mark.
You really think he is wrong about this Celtic team? Having your head up there must be dark!
Face it, we are so bad right now, with no goalscorers in his mould, that we couldn’t even beat a team of kids from Udinese, or the worst rangers team in half a century!
Not to mention going scoreless in games against St. johnstone and Atletico Madrid! A striker who doesn’t score goals is not a striker! Plain and simple.
U must be a hun to come out with a comment like that Joebhoy. What total nonsense.
The reason Lennon has stuck by him is the reason a manager sticks by any player. Unfortunately, Georgious has done more bad than good in our eyes than in Neil’s.
Samaras’ time has long since expired Neil, do not pro-long the agony. Get shot of him before he drags you down with him.
it was time for samaras to leave a year and a half ago, the guy is a joke and him playing is costing us dear. good bye ya useless fud….HOPEFULLY!!
Big John obviously still has his finger on the pulse of the Celtic support, he knows, as do the rest of us, that the supporters patience with Sammy has run out. To criticise him for saying that is just stupid. I dont see where he runs the club down, merely stating its best for club and Sammy if he goes in January.
well said. Hartson told the truth.
lennon only offered him a contract so he could get money for him when he sells him but sarse wouldnt leave..great idea neil but it didnt work yet….next chance january..fingers crossed
I also don’t see what Big John did wrong. Is there any Celtic Fan really happy to see Samaras come on?
And Hartson’s comments last week about now having to work for the Sun have been taken out of context. What really happened was Hartson said our second half performance in the Old Firm game was shocking and questioned why Samaras was playing again.
Neil Lennon was asked in a press conference about Hartson’s comments and Lenny said something like “Sure he would know.” Hartson took offence to that claiming he has backed Celtic and Lennon 100% since he took over and the old firm analysis was the first negative critism he had written about it.
Probably should not have aired his wee spat with Lenny to the masses, but I think BBJ is Celtic through and through, the exact same as Lenny.
To compare him to Mo Jo is just plain silly. Not once has he said anything that we have not thought ourselves.
Cannot believe there are some ppo sayin shame on john hartson what a joke bbj is a legend, @ joebhoy u dnt have a clue he didnt nd 2 chase ppo down u crackpot because he scored over 100 goals for the hoops, samaras nds a new club for his own benefit he has no chance with majorty of celtic fans as we have ran out of paitence n thats jst the truth,
Am I not allowed an opinion,i could play the game unlike half of u lot who have never been under 15stone since you were 10-i never said sammys better than hartson,i said atleast he chases back when we lost the ball-hartson couldnt,hartson was turned down by rangers,or is that a lie?
And robbo larsson scored over 200 and he chased back,so thats bs right there-i know about celtic,they have literally been my family all my life-if lenny walked-where would you be happy with hartson as manager?–didnt think so,its been creeping in to his collumn since the begining,just like burley, nicholas-and joe son im 36 and have been all over the f****** world watching celtic,i must be a hun??
Away have a lie down-the facts are Hartson was knocked back by rangers-signed for celtic on £30k a week,breathed out his arse after the 1st 5 mins,got a new contract on improved terms-sammy on the other hand took a wage cut to sign for celtic and took another wage cut when he signed his last deal-im not his greatest fan by far,but facts are facts-either back lenny or YOU do a better job-mugs,i stood on the jungle thru the huns doing 9 in a row-n now theirs fans who probably didnt bother about celtic til oneil came,f****** glory hunters having a go at me and saying im a hun
and mojie hartson said “i need to write this collumn to pay bills because when i was at the club i never earned enough money to be able to sit back and retire” sammy has never been on money near what hartson was on-and he never said anything any of us did-well does your job pay £30k+ a week but that isnt enough-poor john what is his problem is he down to his last million??
robbo-should we sign kris boyd ? he scored more goals-did f*** all else but he scores goals so thats ok-and im the crackpot?