We’re just under way against CFR Cluj. Coverage on Setanta Sports 1.
Forster,
Lustig, Virgil, Wilson, Waters,
McGeouch, Kayal, Henderson, Commons,
Balde, Hooper.
Subs: Fasan, Mouyokolo, Mulgrew, Samaras, Forrest, George, Atajic.
Not sure of the injury status of the likes of Brown, Matthews, Ledley and Stokes.
Great goal by Costea, curled in off the post. :mad:
Lovely finish. McGeouch not very clever in giving it away. They’re playing some lovely football.
Bandage, who are Waters and Fasan?
Fasan is the development/youth team keeper. Waters is a young left back - not even sure if he was involved with the development squad last season.
Curious decision by Baldé to run 5 metres offside on a counter attack a few minutes ago.
Good save Forster there.
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Doesn’t seem too good for some of the young lads who were involved with the first team last season. Fraser is injured if I recall correctly but the likes of McGregor, Twardzik, Chalmers and Herron aren’t over there (maybe they are)? They seem to have been usurped by the likes of Henderson and Waters. Is Jackson Irvine at the U-20 World Cup? Has he any chance of making it?
Long free kick there from near halfway bounced about 8 yards out. Completely harmless but Forster needs to walk forward and catch those.
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I was guessing/assuming that the older development squad type lads you mention aren’t here because of possible Under 19/Under 20 international commitments at the end of last season. The likes of Waters and Henderson seem to be younger again and closer to Under 17 ranks.
Here comes Sammy. 
2-0 Cluj. Quick counter, well finished. :mad:
Sammy. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssssssssssss. 2-1.
Most comical goal I think I’ve ever seen.
those Celtic jerseys are putrid.
Five more minutes of this shite before the hurling starts.
Henderson is Under 17 anyway, or at least was last season.
The Under 20s were playing today in Inverness (not against ICT). One of the Twardziks scored. Not sure on the logic of them having a separate pre-season.
Irvine was playing the Under 20 World Cup anyway so he won’t be involved for a few weeks I’d say.
[quote=“Rocko, post: 797878, member: 1”]Henderson is Under 17 anyway, or at least was last season.
The Under 20s were playing today in Inverness (not against ICT). One of the Twardziks scored. Not sure on the logic of them having a separate pre-season.
Irvine was playing the Under 20 World Cup anyway so he won’t be involved for a few weeks I’d say.[/quote]
Do you think we should loan out more of our young players? I know it’s only pre-season but McGeouch toiled over these two games and he didn’t really kick on last season (not helped by the fractured jaw bone too, granted). I think the likes of him could benefit from playing 30+ games for another SPL side.
Yeah, especially with no reserve league available which means they’re never testing themselves outside of their age-group and they need to do that to push on a bit. McGeouch is a good example. Sits on the bench for the first team and plays very few competitive games at any level. He was just coming into form before he broke his jaw but he hasn’t played anywhere near enough games since (and understandably so).
Our players who go out on loan don’t end up with very good records for some reason - the likes of Keatings was expected to do great things but didn’t play much. Toshney played a fair bit last season for Dumdee but not sure what he’s doing now or why he isn’t involved more. Also, might be better to get them out of Scotland altogether.
Yeah, I thought of that aspect to it after my own post. Our young players who actually go out on loan more often than not fail to impress too, and it’s invariably the first step on their way out of the club. I don’t think Toshney is in Celtic’s plans and that’s after two full seasons on loan at SPL level. So I don’t know what the answer is. Maybe we’re just not developing enough good young players and the gap from development squad to first team is too big for most of them to bridge. That where’s Jim McGuinness comes in…