Celtic 2012/2013 season discussion thread

Sport
1

Please post any Celtic non-matchday related information or discussion in here. Lads how do we see the transfer strategy panning out next season? Neil spoke of trimming the squad and adding quality which is what I would go along with. We should secure CL football next season which would aid our budget. I’d expect us to try and offload all the loanees permanently (with the exception of Toshney, Keatings and Slane). Cha, Loovens, Majstorovic and Wilson are out of contract so it will be interesting to see what’s done there. We’ll also try and rid ourselves of deadwood like Juarez and Rasmussen and Brozek’s loan is unlikely to be made permanent. I’d be willing to listen to offers for Ki and I’m in two minds should a big offer come in for Hooper (as long as the proceeds went directly to improving the squad). McCourt is another guy who I feel could leave us in the summer, saddening as I’m a big fan of his but injury problem’s and Lennon’s lack of faith in him render him ineffective.

Onto the incoming end. First thing we should do is sign Forster, I have been really impressed with his form and development this season. A fee up to £2.5m would be a fair price IMO. A centre back (or two) along with Fojut would be appreciated, we seem to be fine at right back but I’d like some specialised cover at left back. I’ve mentioned Paul Dixon here before and he’s available on a free.

In midfield, we have a lot of bodies here, should one of our central midfielders leave then we will probably replace them. Maor Melikson has been linked with us, probably as an option for the left berth cutting inside. I’d like to see us make a move for David Templeton as well. I think two new players for the wide positions is adequate investment here, and if one of our central players goes then we should replace them.

Up front is where we need the biggest investment. Stokes and Hooper are a good partnership but there are no real alternatives here for us. Lennon doesn’t seem to trust Stokes and Hooper’s form can be very streaky. Brozek and Rasmussen clearly don’t have a future here and Samaras is not effective as a striker. Bangura is unproven. We definitely need two strikers in here. We should renew our interest in Omer Damari, he has a €3m release clause and has had a very good season in Israel where he is second top scorer, he’s quite similar to Stokes and Hooper and would offer a good alternative when one’s form drops. The other striker we get needs to be a player capable of playing the ‘lone furrow’ up front, none of strikers do this well. Samaras is probably most suited but he has the tendency to drift out wide and negate us a focal point. Again, I will return to a previous target in Baba Diawara. He hasn’t got much game time at Sevilla and we should be monitoring this pretty closely.

2

We have something like 37 first team squad players listed on the official site so I also agree totally with Neil when he says we have to trim the squad and add quality in specific areas.

There’s a chunk of players who are still out on loan or who have been out on loan for part of the season and I don’t think (m)any of them have a future with us. I’d expect to see Morten Rasmussen, Daryl Murphy, Josh Thompson, Efrain Juarez, Darren O’Dea and Niall McGinn all move on and I don’t have a problem with that.

Then there’s the players whose contracts are expiring like Mark Wilson, Cha Du Ri, Dan Majstorovic, Glenn Loovens and Andre Blackman. We already have two right backs in Matthews and Lustig so we don’t need Wilson and Cha. I think we should let Blackman go too and get better left back cover. Big Dan is past it and has a serious injury so he should also go - Loovens warrants some thought.

Of the players we have on loan, Brozek doesn’t have a future with Celtic but we should look to sign Forster after his excellent progress this season. It would also make sense to sell McCourt as he’s not featuring nearly enough. There’s other players that I wouldn’t necessarily be too put out if they left (Kelvin Wilson, Mo Bangura are two) but I reckon that potential departures pf the ilk mentioned above wouldn’t command significant fees. Still, it would be freeing up room for new signings on the wage bill.

I said after the League Cup final that we could still do with strengthening all over the park to get back to CL level. I think another centre back, a wide midfield player, a creative / attacking central midfield player and a striker are the 4 areas where we would ideally strengthen. But I doubt we’ll get all of them - centre back and centre forward would be the 2 priorities for me.

We do have a good, young side and possess players that will command interest. Izzy and Kayal would have had a lot of potential suitors last season but their injury riddled seasons will likely ensure they remain with us for another season at least. Ki always seems to generate interest and Hooper is another player that could attract bids after some firm interest was expressed in him at Christmas. Forrest will likely want to stay and develop further at Celtic. I think I’d be okay with Ki leaving if we had to balance things out a bit - he’s a talented guy but we can cope without him.

3

What realistic chance is their of Celtic moving south of the border and trying to get into the EPL over the coming years what with the huns dying and all?

4

If Lustig and Matthews picked up injuries, who’d play right back? Toshney? He might be out on loan next season. I’d like to keep Mark Wilson, I think he’d be relatively low maintenance in regard wages, he’s very versatile, he’s played all across the defence for us and has played in central midfield as well. He also counts for the domestically trained players for the European squad - as far as I can tell only Forrest, Mulgrew and Brown count in this regard, maybe Rogne might count next season. We need to have 8 registered in our 25 man squad.

I’d have the wide positions as a bigger priority than centre back as well. I’d also agree about getting rid of Blackman, think I’d rather keep Loovens than K. Wilson as well. Lennon does seem to rate K. Wilson so I don’t think I’ll go. Bangura will most likely get until the January transfer window to prove himself.

5

I think two specialist right backs is adequate. Toshney could play there all right - that’s where Killie have used him.

I went from thinking Mark Wilson was good to shit to good to shit. He’s just too injury prone now and I don’t think it’s a difficult decision to release him.

Conceding 7 goals at Ibrox this season makes me keen for centre back to be prioritised. Most of our centre backs have a few of the traits required but none have all of them. I think we need to be more solid and commanding at the back to compete well at a higher level.

6

I think conceding 7 goals at Ibrox this year was as much to do with tactics than anything else. We were completely outplayed in the midfield sector in both of those games and two of those goals were conceded when we were down to 9 men. I’d like to add that I’d keep Wilson for his versatility and helping our quota for the European squad rather than as a 3rd specialised right back. I also feel we may loan Toshney out again next season.

7

Barry Bannan would be a decent addition for the hoops. Better than the likes of Kris Commons anyway

8

Barry Bannan was rightly ran from Celtic for not being good enough as a youngster and nothing has changed in that regard.

9

numerous sources on the internet claim otherwise http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/villa-youngster-bannan-why-i-rejected-celtic-kid-1900982 :lol:

supporter of the club though, scottish international, needs regular football. can see him doing well in a side that dominates possession. would be worth a punt from lennon I reckon.

10

There’s a reason why we didn’t give him a kit. How much would they be looking for him, he’s a different type of player to Commons anyway, think Bannan plays deeper, haven’t seen the lad play a lot but the few times I recall he was very lightweight.

11

Linked with Craig Gordon today, no quotes or anything just idle speculation. I’d prefer Forster.

CELTIC are ready to resurrect their interest in Craig Gordon, with the Scotland international’s future on Wearside increasingly precarious.

Time is running out for Gordon (right) to make an impression on Martin O’Neill with just three months left on the 29-year-old’s contract at the Stadium of Light.

O’Neill told the Echo last week that he was considering handing the stopper an opportunity in the starting XI before the end of the campaign.

But Gordon didn’t even make the bench for either of Sunderland’s Easter outings, with just five Premier League games remaining for the £9million man to make his first competitive appearance in 14 months.

With no contract talks imminent, Celtic are mindful of Gordon’s position as potentially being one of the most attractive free transfers on the market this summer.

Hoops boss Neil Lennon had considered taking Gordon on loan last summer, only for the move to be scuppered by his ongoing knee problems, plus wage levels at the Stadium of Light.

Instead, Newcastle academy product Fraser Forster arrived on a second loan spell and the Magpies stopper has played a key part in helping Lennon’s side lift the SPL title.

Celtic are hopeful of converting Forster’s loan into a £2m permanent switch during the summer.

But should that move fall through, Gordon is Celtic’s chief contingency plan and are able to hold talks with the former Hearts man before the end of the season.

O’Neill has said that he would ideally like to keep Gordon, Keiren Westwood and Simon Mignolet at Sunderland, but realises the difficulties of boasting three international keepers on the books.

And given Gordon’s contract situation and doubts over his long-term fitness, he is by far the likeliest of the trio to depart Wearside in the summer.

Meanwhile, Sunderland’s second string were due to entertain Aston Villa today in a behind-closed-doors Barclays Premier Reserve League North fixture at the Academy of Light.

12

ARTUR BORUC last night revealed he wants to rejoin Celtic.
The 32-year-old keeper spent five successful years at Parkhead before moving to Fiorentina in a £2million deal back in 2010.
His contract with the Serie A side expires in the summer but they have an option to extend that by a year.
However, Fiorentina are fighting relegation at the moment and no decision will be made until they know the outcome of that.
Hoops gaffer Neil Lennon could be looking to sign an experienced No.1 if Fraser Forster opts out of a £2m move from Newcastle – and Boruc is preparing for all eventualities.
The Pole told MailSport: “Of course I would go back to Celtic. I miss a lot of things about Parkhead and living in Glasgow.
“If someone from Celtic ever wants to have a discussion with me about the possibility of it happening sometime in the future then I will listen. Who knows what will happen? It would be nice to think that it might happen for me again there one day.
“But right now my focus is on helping Fiorentina stay up.”
Boruc was a team-mate of Lennon’s and played under him for a short period.
He was delighted to see Lennon lead the club to SPL glory this season and said: “It wouldn’t be a problem for me to work for Neil. I respect him and rate him.
“He is a great motivator and was always a leader. He was the captain when I joined Celtic and was helpful to me. Neil helped educate me in terms of what it was all about being a Celtic player.
“I’m delighted that he has won the league this year.
“It is not easy to win the SPL and it’s great he has driven the club on again. I hope Celtic now get back into the Champions League.”

Bring the holy goalie home!

13

Saw this on the huddleboard. Not sure what paper it’s taken from.

[font=verdana]Lennon, meanwhile, admitted that full-back Mark Wilson, out of contract in June, may be on his way out. “[/font]I haven’t spoken to Mark yet[font=verdana], but with us bringing in [Mikael] Lustig and the emergence of [Adam] Matthews it might be difficult for him to retain his place here. He might want to look at going elsewhere. If he does, he goes with our blessing because he has been magnificent for the club. He would have had an even better career had it not been for horrendous injuries.”
[/font]

14

Seems like he’s off alright going by those comments. Juarez agent has also said that he’s been told Juarez can leave at the end of the season too.

15

Even allowing for Ki twice heading the ball against the post from 3 yards out and the referee giving them a disgraceful match winning penalty in injury time, I think today reinforced the point that we need to strengthen all over the park. Loovens and Wilson were found wanting massively in the second half. We lacked inspiration and guile in midfield and our strikers didn’t cover themselves in glory either. Need to cut the squad size down and strengthen with players that can positively impact the first XI and force the existing starters to raise their game.

16

Last season our strength was our attack of Commons, Stokes and Hooper. We didn’t strengthen this in the summer and it’s became very stale, we also lack variety in our attack. I’d have attack and the wide positions at the utmost priority. Our defence needs improving as well but that should be secondary. Our best central defensive partnership didn’t start there today - Rogne and Mulgrew. Though Loovens was poor today and I’ve made my mind up now that he should go, Wilson is a bombscare. I can see why Lennon may like playing Mulgrew at left back as it utilises the quality he has in his delivery, but he should be considering what’s best for the team and not one player. Mulgrew has been rock solid at centre back this season and we have last years player of the season sitting on the bench because Mulgrew might play better there, but that does not make the team or defence any better.

Ki should be hunted in the summer, a complete and utter passenger. Lennon again made mistakes in his selection - Ki and Wilson should not have played, Samaras should have been withdrawn earlier as well. The problem with Lennon is he makes reactionary changes, he waits until what is glaringly obvious has actually caused some ruptures before changing it. Stokes was only brought on when we were behind today, it should have been when it was 0-0 at HT the change was made.

17

I think the squad we’ve had to date has fulfilled a certain requirement and has done it well. We needed a fair amount of rebuilding and rather than gambling on the likes of Fortuné, Lennon spread his cash more thinly and took a few risks in his acquisitions. Thankfully many of those gambles have paid off, a few spectacularly, but we’re now at the stage where we need to look at improving the squad and not just adding more prospects or outside hopes to the club.

So I’d certainly think we should be thinning it out and looking to bring in a bit more proven quality. Finances will still limit what we can do but we should be looking at a few more established players to make sure the squad gets better.

18

I disagree with Totti in that I think centre back is a real priority. I’m not fully confident in any of our options there at present. I accept that a Rogne/Mulgrew partnership would have been unlikely to get ragdolled by Craig Beattie in the manner K Wilson/Loovens were today but they were dominated by Lee McCulloch recently. Rogne/Mulgrew have largely been competent aside from that bar a few games here and there (like the League Cup final last season) but I still maintain that we need one dominant centre back that can command and organise our defence if we are to flourish and get to the level I want us to (back competing in the Champions League). A real leader type that is comfortable in any defensive situation whether it’s in Europe when we may be on the back foot for large spells or domestically when we’re taking the game to the opposition and it’s more a case of being vigilant against the counter attack. Someone the rest of the defence can rally around.

19

A centre back is the top priority for me. We don’t have someone who intimidates opposing strikers or who fills the team with confidence from the back. Muglrew and Rogne are certainly the closest at this at the moment but Rogne is poor on the ground and quite slow (though a real prospect I think) while Mulgrew isn’t that strong in the air and sometimes looks uncomfortable when teams target him over the top when he’s playing centrally.

20

Jaroslaw Fojut injured his knee today. He says on Twitter: “No happy with injury. Hope its nothing serious. Keep your fingers crossed.”