What time’s kick off Bandage?
I see from the pictures online that Hartley doesn’t seem to be there (apparently due to international duty giving him an extra week off). So hopefully that means at least one of Donati or Brown will be starting. Really looking forward to seeing both of them play.
It’s on at 7.45pm - anyone know a decent pub in town with Setanta Sports 1 that isn’t Frazer’s? Don’t wanna get my tin of fruit ruined in there.
Hard to know of anywhere that will definitely show it. I guess the Portobello or somewhere might (due to old allegiances) but they’re hardly in town.
Every pub in town has Setanta as far as I know. It’s given to them as part of their commercial sports package in a deal Setanta negotiated with Sky I think. It’s just a question of finding a pub that will be showing anything on tv.
Bellamy looks certain to leave Liverpool so I hope we’re registering an interest. He’d bring pace and a small bit of class to that front line and I think we’d get him for cheaper than an EPL club.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Celtic had a 2-fold strategy for the transfer market this year though:
CAPONE ON TRIAL AT CELTS
EXCLUSIVE
By Hugh Keevins
CELTIC have taken Italian midfielder Andrea Capone on trial and could snap him up on a Bosman deal if he impresses Gordon Strachan.
The player trained with the Parkhead squad yesterday but as they head south to play Peterborough and Queens Park Rangers this weekend before flying to America on Monday, he will need to make an immediate impact. Capone started his career at Cagliari in 1998 then spent a season at Treviso before returning to the Sardinian club in 2005.
Strachan has also been linked with Sochaux defender Guirane N’Daw and admitted the club’s massive earnings from UEFA, revealed in Record Sport yesterday, have left scope for more signings. He said: "If it’s right, at any time there could be new faces. In the modern game there are two transfer windows and you prepare for that.
“If anything comes up in these windows that you think you could do, you have got to decide whether you will invest. We’ll see what happens.”
Celtic have spent almost 8million on Scott Brown, Massimo Donati and Scott McDonald this summer and got Chris Killen on a a free transfer. The club’s takings from reaching the last 16 of the Champions League last season reached 10.5m.
Capone, 26, would be a wages-only deal if he can do enough to convince Strachan he merits a contract.
Meanwhile, Czech keeper Jaroslav Drobny last night claimed he turned down Celtic to sign for Hertha Berlin.
The 27-year-old, who was available on a Bosman from Bochum, said: “Hertha’s offer was a better one than Celtic’s. But the most important point was that the Bundesliga is a far stronger league than the Scottish Premier.”
Maloney linked with a return in the News of the World Today. Plenty wouldn’t take him back. I would.
Capone to sign for Celtic tomorrow
The brief trial for Andrea Capone at Celtic has turned out well. Tomorrow the attacking midfielder will sign a contract with the Scottish club, putting himself forward for a berth in the midfield in which his compatriot Donati (26) has just arrived.
Domani Capone firma con il Celtic
16.07.2007 18.00 di Alessio Calfapietra
E’ terminato in modo positivo il breve periodo di prova di Andrea Capone (26) al Celtic. Nella giornata di domani, la mezz’ala ex Cagliari sigler un contratto con gli scozzesi, candidandosi ad un posto a centrocampo dove appena arrivato il connazionale Donati (26).
http://www.americansoccerdaily.com/news/szetelachase.htm
Celtic, Siena Lead Szetala Chase
by Mark Flannery - July 16, 2007
Columbus Crew midfielder Danny Szetela has interest coming from several teams in Europe, according to Shep Messing, one of his representatives at Global Sports Group. “It’s come down so far to two teams who are in the front: Celtic in Scotland and Siena in Italy,” the former Cosmos star told American Soccer Daily.
“We have had calls from Hertha Berlin and Munich 1860, in Italy, Parma; in England, Everton, Middlesbrough and Reading. And Valencia in Spain.”
Interest has spiked in the New Jersey native following his performance at the 2007 Under-20 World Cup, where he scored three goals and was one of the standout performers in the US run to the quarterfinals.
Szetela’s parents were both born in Poland, giving him dual citizenship, which would make obtaining a UK work permit a formality; he was just a signature away from signing with Everton a little more than three years ago. With some pretty serious family issues to deal with, Szetela decided to sign with MLS and has been with Columbus ever since, though his contract runs out in December.
“We never heard from MLS,” Messing explained. “His contract expires December 31st, so he is free to sign a pre-contract with any of those clubs as of a couple of weeks ago.”
“MLS has finally now called back, but it’s probably going to be too little, late. Not in terms of money, but in terms of keeping him in MLS.”
“I think if he had flourished, been on the starting eleven, been a big player for Columbus…,” Messing said, alluding to what may have been in Columbus, before adding, "Right now, the teams that are after him are in Europe.
Linked with Bernard Mendy, the PSG right back, today. Reports in Scotland say a 2m bid has been lodged. We definitely need a full back to cover for Wilson and Naylor. In addition, Wilson hasn’t looked himself after his injury hit season last year although I’m conscious it’s still pre-season. Mendy spent a season on loan at Bolton a few years back and looked a decent player.
Was about to ask you that Bandage - was he decent at Bolton? I didn’t see him enough to judge but we certainly do need a full back of some description.
I recall him being fairly impressive. He’s athletic and quick and likes to drive forward and has been capped by France since then too. I wonder if Le Guen would sell him to Celtic? Getting another full back is key because I don’t want to see Caldwell and O’Dea having to cover those positions. Wilson can play left back comfortably also so he could slot in any time Naylor’s injured and the new right back, possibly Mendy, can play on the other side.
I’m also starting to come around to the view that if we don’t sign another centre back then Balde should be in there still.
Sounds good.
O’Dea and Caldwell are not full backs but they’re our options at the moment (other than Caddis and Virgo I suppose). For all the criticisms of Telfer he gave us great cover at the back. Wilso has been very average recently but I think he’ll improve again and funnily enough he’s always seemed to have played better on the left hand side.
Mendy interested in Celtic move
From BreakingNews.ie:
Paris St Germain defender Bernard Mendy admits he is interested in a move to Celtic.
The 25-year-old has been linked with the Scottish champions, who are in need of cover for Mark Wilson in the right-back position.
Mendy offered encouragement to Hoops boss Gordon Strachan by saying: Celtic are a great club and I would certainly consider the option of a move.
The possibility of playing in the Champions League again is extremely attractive. I like British football and I enjoyed my spell on loan at Bolton in season 2002-03.
That was a great experience for me. However, at this stage, I have not been informed of any official offer from Celtic.
But I have heard that Paris St Germain are looking for a new right back. My contract finishes in June 2008 and, while I am happy to remain here and give my all for the club until then, I must be open to offers.
There’s strong rumours that Celtic are set to sign 35 year-old Portsmouth reject Andrew Cole.
This would ruin my current happy mood after Wexford’s dismantling of Tipperary on Saturday, Wexford Youths FC brushing aside Athlone Town over the weekend, the new Lidl shop opening in Wexford town, Celtic’s encouraging midfield displays in pre-season and finally an end to the ridiculously long drawn out Amanda/Kelly Home and Away storyline.
Say it ain’t so little Chesney, say it ain’t so.
Celtic are close to a 2m deal for Steven Naismith.
I’m not enthused by this deal as I don’t think he’s better than any of the strikers we already have.
2m, in SPL terms, is relatively expensive for an unproven player.
If we had used this 2m plus the money and wages we’ve wasted on the likes of Pressley and Hartley then we could have got a really good striker for 5m-6m.
Is Naismith a Hun fan? Surprised we are going for another striker to be honest. Prices for SPL players seem to have risen a bit over the last few months. Naismith seems to have a very good record but no point in buying players to sit on the bench.
Yes, he supports the huns and is on record as saying they’re his preferred destination but he also said he wouldn’t have any qualms about joining Celtic either as childhood allegiances are insignificant in the modern, professional game. Fook him - we don’t need him.
Not sure about Naismith - still think we need a goalscorer but I don’t think he’s the answer. He bottled a great chance against us in the game we won the league for example.
Still shocked to see the Andrew Cole reference above and I’d have Naismith at 10m ahead of Cole.
My sources (usually bang on the money - ref: Bellamy and Torres articles from earlier this summer) confirm that Shaun LaMoney is set to return home to Celtic for the 1m we originally sold him for. An apology on the steps of Celtic Park and I’d be happy enough with that.
I was about to ask you about the Maloney story Bandage - is that a genuine story do you think or just a rumour? I’d be delighted if he returned. I thought we missed him badly.