Stan, Fergus or Oscar plus other decisions

With the SPL again wrapped up there’s been plenty of good news coming out of Celtic Park.

The first thing I am thinking of is the season ticket reduction, If you break down the amount of money versus the standard of football, I think a reduction is the only way forward. Yes there’s an emotional attachment to supporting Celtic which means those of us who can afford to will continue to renew but I would like to think that people who have had to give up their season ticket in the past are able to re-purchase.

I have also read tweets from some fans who are now saying that the reduction in price combined with the cheaper ticket for children are going to allow them to go, as a family, to the games. I suspect that going to the football as a kid is something that will stick with these youngsters and make them fans for life. I know that’s how I started, I went to my first game shortly after my 5th birthday and I’ve been hooked and a regular ever since.

Hopefully the reduction can lead to us having a full house for all of our so called smaller games again instead of just for Champions League games. In the past, I have been critical of the club or the board so it seems reasonable to praise them in these circumstances.

While I am on the subject of praising the club, I feel that both Kris Commons and Georgios Samaras deserve a mention. Not so long ago, earlier this season I think it was, I wrote on these pages that I felt Kris Commons wasn’t playing very well. I even suggested that it might be worth while allowing him to move on. He has certainly proved me wrong with the amount of goals scored and created.

Samaras is another, not many fans were happy at him being at Celtic but he said he liked it at Celtic and he obviously had the self confidence and mental strength to battle his way through his poor form and force his way into the first team. Now, when we look at Samaras, it seems difficult to think of our team or squad without him. Well done that man.

The next thing that I want to think of is a topic that I wrote about towards the end of last season, who should unfurl the league flag? Personally, I’d love it to be Fergus McCann but I think that’s unlikely. There’s been some chat recently about inviting Stan Petrov to unfurl the flag.

Of course, I wish him all the best in his health battle but is he the right man to do it? I don’t really mind whether or not it’s Petrov. From reading some fans, there seems to be opposition to it because he refused to come out to the field to celebrate winning the last of his four titles. I vaguely remember it happening but I cannot remember the reasons behind it.

Also, is it a valid reason not to welcome him back given what he has been through?

An idea that I cannot claim credit for, but would like to was the idea of getting young Oscar to help unfurl the flag. For anyone who doesn’t know, this young kid has been given the all clear in his own battle against cancer and as a Celtic fan, I guess it might be a nice day out for him.

I feel as I am writing an end of season review blog just now but of course, we have a few more games to go and we also have a Scottish Cup Final to look forward to then of course the transfer window.

When the games don’t matter so much now, I would like to see some younger players or fringe players be given the chance to stake their claim for a cup final starting spot.

Thinking forward to next season, I would like to see most of our players stay. Victor Wanyama has been quoted as saying that he wants to be at Parkhead next season so I really do hope that happens. Gary Hooper, we are unsure of but my feeling is that he could still be around. Norwich were the ones who were trying to buy Gary but they hardly look like a club that will improve his game and England prospects.

I think they are both players who enhance our team. Along with Joe Ledley whom I think he is underrated and I would be more than happy for him to stay with us for a while yet.

One that I expect to leave is Thomas Rogne. He seems unhappy with the contract that he’s been offered and wants to be paid on a par with the top earners of the club. Fair enough, I want to be paid the same as the directors of the company that I work for but it’s never going to happen. Rogne can’t be faulted for trying to get as good a wage as possible but unlike Hooper or Victor, for example, I don’t think he would be a massive loss.

For my next player, I plan to go into hiding and get myself a really good disguise. I don’t really see that Paddy McCourt offers very much to our team. I can’t remember the last time that I would say he had a really good game. Is it a confidence issue with Paddy? Is it just that he needs game time and isn’t match fit just now? I don’t know but I would suggest that if he wasn’t from Ireland and a Celtic fan, he wouldn’t be at the club.

Of course, he might be a good player to have around the dressing room, he might be good to use in training for the defenders, he might be on a wage that isn’t breaking the bank. There’s many potential factors that I don’t know about that could keep him but like Rogne, I think if he moved on, he wouldn’t be a big loss.

All in, I reckon we could do with a left back to fight for a place against Izzy. Adam Matthews Mikael Lustig can play there as can Charlie Mulgrew and Ledley but it’s neither of their preferred positions.

Neil Lennon has been quoted as saying that he wants a creative player. That, to me at least, suggests that he doesn’t see Paddy as the answer. Would a player like Gary Mackay Steven be the creative sort of player that we could do with?

A 20 odd goal per season striker would be quite useful too. Close to home, the obvious would be Leigh Griffiths or Johnny Russell. If it came to a straight choice, I’d prefer Russell.

That said, I’m confident that our scouting network is good enough to find the type of player that we need.