Celtic have had some bad experiences signing South Americans as they tend to find it simply too cold in Scotland. (I donāt really blame them as it generally takes me about 3 hours to warm up when I arrive in Glasgow and Iām Irish). But after 4 trophies in 2 seasons then if Strachan wants to sign Mozart Iāll definitely Bach him. Just hope he can Handel the weather conditions and the physical demands of the SPL. That said heās meant to be super on the ball so if he settles in quickly then he could pull the strings with Naka and orchestrate our attacking play.
28 May 2007
ITāS A DOUM DEAL
By Keith Jackson
CELTIC last night tied up Cup Final hero Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe on a three-year deal.
Record Sport understands the man who netted the Parkhead clubās winning goal in the 1-0 Hampden victory over Dunfermline on Saturday will put pen to paper on his new bumper contract in the next 48 hours.
The 28-year-old had feared the Scottish Cup Final might be his last game for the club following the end of his five-month loan deal from French outfit Rennes.
Doumbe, who is available as a free agent this summer, had failed to agree terms on a permanent contract at Parkhead but talks began after his strike on Saturday sealed a league and cup double.
The defenderās reward for breaking into manager Gordon Strachanās plans will be a wage rise of around 4000 a week.
The new deal will see him pocket around 10,000 a week and tie him to Celtic for two years
Scotty Brown on Sky Sports News
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Apologies to Flano. From the Celtic site:
scott brownās in paradise
Joe Sullivan
SCOTT BROWN, the latest recruit to the Celtic ranks, appeared officially for the first time in the Hoops at his new place of work this morning.
The 21-year-old played out most of the season with Hibernian as one of the most sought-after prospects in Scottish football and months of speculation were put to bed earlier this month as he signed on with Celtic.
The midfielders name was connected with a host of clubs north and south of the border but he admitted that the interest from Celtic was magnetic and once he spoke to Chief Executive Peter Lawwell and manager Gordon Strachan, there was no doubt in his mind.
And the path was clear for the biggest ever transfer fee between two Scottish clubs. The player stated that even the pull of the Premiership wasnt as great as that of joining the champions.
Speaking at a press conference at Celtic Park today, Scott Brown said: When I spoke to Peter and spoke with Gordon, that was my mind set, I wanted to join Celtic.
I spoke to a few of the lads and they told me theres always a lot of pressure here but Im a Celtic player, Im delighted, Im over the moon and I cant wait to get the shirt on and start playing out on the park.
The first challenge is pre-season and then to try and get into the team. Hopefully, Ill get a good pre-season and show the gaffer what I can do.
Glasgow rivals Rangers were always quoted as top runners for the players signature and that was strengthened when Browns one-time partner at Hibernian, Kevin Thomson, signed for the Ibrox club.
The next time the pair share an SPL pitch however, they will be in opposing teams.
The new Celt said: You want play against the best players in the league and I think Kevin is one of them.
Weve spoken about it and had a laugh and a joke about stuff and he wants to play against me as much as I want to play against him.
He was first on the phone to congratulate me. Weve got the same agent and he pretty much found out ASAP. He said it was a great move for me and he wished me all the best.
Scott added: I want to repay the faith that Gordon has shown in me. I want to repay that by playing on the park and scoring goals. Hopefully we will get past the last 16 of the Champions League this time and progress as far as we can
A delighted Gordon Strachan added: Our priority was to get Scott Brown and I thank the board for allowing us to achieve what we set out to do which is great as it doesnt often happen as a football manager. So that says a lot about the club and what we want to try and do.
Scotts football assets are well known, hes got a determination about him as a man, hes young and hes going to get better.
The manager added: We have other targets and the scouting staff have been working extremely hard.
As a manager Ive never had so much information about players, its the most comprehensive range of players under review that Ive ever had in my career.
So thats handy and we know where we want to go next. Its just seeing if we can bring these targets that we have in mind to the club. A lot depends on circumstances and finances but the board are trying their best to bring the best players.
Usually at this time of the year as a manager you are shattered and you want your holiday, Im actually looking forward to the first days training now which has come as a surprise to my family I think!
Celtic Chief Executive, Peter Lawwell, added: We are delighted that we can officially unveil Scott as a Celtic player in the biggest transfer between Scottish clubs.
There was significant interest in Scott both north and south of the border and we are very, very delighted that we were successful in convincing him to come here.
Convincing is probably not the right word as, once we met him, I think Scott knew that this was the place for him.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.1430531.0.0.php
Browns arrival signals new beginning at Celtic
HUGH MacDONALD, Chief Sportswriter May 29 2007
Celtic welcomed their 4.4m recruit yesterday with the message that others were on the way. Sitting under a ledge bearing the Scottish Premierleague and Scottish Cup trophies, Peter Lawwell and Gordon Strachan were satisfaction personified as Scott Brown, adorned in a Celtic strip, met the media at Parkhead.
After declaring that Brown had been the priority target, Lawwell quietly spoke of his determination to improve the playing staff at the club.
āWeāve had a great season, probably understated because of some of the performances towards the end, but we won two trophies and got into the last 16 of the Champions League. But here we have to keep taking it forward. Thereās no rest, you canāt in any way be complacent, youāve just got to keep going. And thatās what we are trying to do and Scottās part of that.ā
The Celtic manager was also in buoyant mood. āAs far as Iām concerned we have won our own treble,ā said Strachan. "Getting to the last 16 of the Champions League after the group we were in, was like winning another cup.
"We have a right good squad. Our group is better than anyone elseās in Scotland. Now we have to add to the spirit, enthusiasm and willingness to win.
"We know where we want to go next. Itās just seeing if we can bring those targets to the club and a lot depends on finances and circumstances.
āUsually at this time of the year, you want your holiday but Iām actually looking forward to the first day at training next season.ā
Strachan acknowledged that Brown was a huge part of this recruitment process and was not perturbed by the 4.4 the club had to pay to recruit the Hibernian midfielder.
āI donāt think the fee is a big problem,ā he added. āHis football assets are well known. He has determination, is young and he is going to get better. If you look at the British transfer market, then itās not a bad bit of business.ā
Strachan also spoke of the dossier of information he has about signing targets, insisting he has never been so well informed, and his chief executive confirmed: "We have specific targets and they are all at different stages.
I think Scott Brown is a wow signing in the context of the demand for him
āSome clubs are willing to talk. Others are not. The deals that are done the quickest are the Bosmans because you only have two parties. When you have a third party, ie another club, thatās when it gets more difficult.ā
But what of the money available?
āThere is a foundation that allows us to go out and do this,ā added Lawwell. "But itās not easy or straightforward and we now enter another transfer window and we will have another three months of pain and anguish. But we go into it very positively.
āThere is flexibility in the budget. Last year we knew there might be a few going out, including Stilyan Petrov. The plan is to strengthen, get better within the financial constraints that we have. We wonāt be irresponsible. We will work within our own means.ā
There is, though, still some frustration. Lawwell was speaking on a day when West Bromwich Albion and Derby County were playing a game worth 60m to the winners because of television rights.
āWe have constraints in we canāt compete because of media rights with Spanish, English and Italian clubs,ā said Lawwell. "There are also constraints against the expectations of the fans. Clearly they want 11 stars, 11 wow factors but we canāt do that. The frustration is that we are one of the worldās biggest clubs and whatās holding us back clearly is the small market we are playing in.
"If we were playing in an environment that gave the media values, such as England and Spain, then there would be no barriers. We could be as big as anyone. However, we are where we are, there looks like there will be no real, positive change for us in the short term.
āWhere we need to be is the Champions League. We need to be there every year to get the short-term revenue but also to give us long-term exposure, give us the perception of a big club.ā
Summer departures may seem inevitable to fund Celtic strengthening, but Lawwell replied: āNot, necessarily. We will go into it the transfer window with an open mind.ā
Presumably there would be few tears if Thomas Gravesen or Jiri Jarosik left, freeing up their large salaries. However, Lawwell is not courting buyers for Artur Boruc or Shunsuke Nakamura.
āBoruc has a contract to 2010, because in 2009 we have an option for another year,ā he said. āNaka has another two years. They are in contract, they are happy and we are not sellers. Both of those players are key for Gordon and it is not in our plans to sell them. There is no pressure on Gordon to lose players.ā
Lawwell could not, though, contain his enthusiasm over the capture of Brown, who had been a target of several English Premiership clubs and Rangers.
āI think Scott Brown is a wowā signing in the context of the demand for him,ā insisted the Celtic chief executive.
"I think he fits the bill here. Our fans demand and they deserve big names, the leaders. And we have been able to do that over the past few years, bringing in big players.āā Shrewdly, Lawwell avoided making capital at the expense of his rivals. When asked about Sir David Murrayās insistence some years ago that Rangers would outspend Celtic, Lawwell said: āWe have to deal with our own business and those comments were made years ago. The fundamentals are right for Rangers and Rangers will come back. Itās a strong club, with strong advantages.ā
But was there a tremendous satisfaction in outspending Rangers?
āNot really. They are our main competitors but you can not be pious or complacent. This game has the habit of pulling you down. In the long-term, Rangers are a strong club and they will be back. We see them as a real threat to us.ā
With a hard season behind him and a turbulent transfer window to come, Lawwell was quietly reflective before he headed off on holiday.
"You are only as good as your last game in football.
We all know that. if you canāt enjoy the highs as you might want, itās because you have to move on.
"We had a great weekend, a great season, but we are already moving on
Peter Lawwell never fails to impress me. Heās doing an outstanding job at Celtic.
Based on what I am hearing from my contacts all around the world I am going to go out on a limb here.
Craig Bellamy will sign for Celtic on July 1. A particular clause, which I am under instructions not to disclose, is triggered on that date and he will be on his way to Glasgow.
Remind me of this post when Iām correct.
Post it on the front page of the site so. Anything other media outlets can do we can replicate. I wonāt ask you name your source, just to confirm that you have a source that you believe. Good enough for me so go ahead and publish.
Like all newspapers I only divulge a fully sourced story. Iāll knock something up on the front page then.
Are you serious Bandage? I think people look back on Bellamyās last spell a little toho fondly. To be perfectly honest I thought he bottled it a little at the end of the season. He missed several important chances. Not to say I donāt like Bellamy but not sure he is world class player we are looking for.
Apparently tomorrowās Daily Record is saying that:
- Beattie has been told he can leave
- Weāve come in with a late offer to Killen and heās come back up from Cardiff to discuss it with us.
Just after reading the article on the front page. I for one hope your wrong and Bellamy doesnāt come to us. He scored some great goals when he was with us and is a bit of a character but he needs 3-4 chances to score and that to me is not a sign of great goal scorer. He is more of a winger in my opinion. He is not the solution to our problem upfront. We need someone far better then him.
Look pagey I only report what tfk sources are telling me.
I think he would be a cracking signing. People are holding one missed chance at Motherwell on the final day of the 2005 season against him and forget that were it not for him we wouldnāt have been in a position to win/lose the league on the final day anyway.
āBBC understandsā that Chris Killen is signing for Celtic.
Like the other thread where we discussed this, I donāt really see the point in shipping out Beattie, whoās essentially a back up striker, to replace him with another one in Killen. I know Killen was having a very good season this year until he ruptured his achilles but heās a similar type of player to Jan. We need a striker to complement Jan moreso than a back up like this.
Iāve nothing personal against the guy. He came up the hard way after being released by Manchester City. He did excellently at lower league level at Oldham and progressed on to Hibs where heās had 2 good seasons. But really the fact that Cardiff City are the main competition for his signature should say it all really.
I sort of understand our thinking. Especially in the SPL Strachan wants a similar player to Jan when Jan is out injured. That means a big lad who can take then knocks, hold the ball up etc. The closes weāve had to that is the Beat but the problems are:
- He canāt hold the ball up every second game
- If Jan is injured the likelihood is that the Beat is injured too
For that reason Iām not overly surprised that weāre going for someone else to be his understoody. Itās why we were after Lafferty in January and Iād happily take Killen over Lafferty because heās looked good in the SPL anyway.
Iām coming around to your way of thinking too rocko. The ladās on a Bosman too so itās a low/no risk signing. What would disappoint me though is if we donāt get another striker in, a really good one to be Janās first choice partner. Jan, Killen, McDonald and Riordan is fine for the SPL but we need a Torres, Bellamy, Huntelaar or Makaay also.
That said Iāll judge Strachanās summer spending at the end of August when the window closes and wonāt get irrationally pissed off now because of one signing.
Yeah Iām still holding out hope of a Bellamy or something. Iāve always loved Makaay as a player but I donāt think heās the type of guy we need to get. Heās older and will miss games like Jan and while heās a superb goalscorer I think we need somebody more dynamic up there.
According to Clyde Killen has signed for Celtic and will be paraded later today.
Anyone else going on the lock tonight to celebrate? From the official Celtic site:
chris killen signs for celtic
Paul Cuddihy
CELTIC Football Club are delighted to announce that they have signed striker Chris Killen on a three-year contract.
The 25-year-old New Zealand internationalist becomes the third player to join the Scottish Premierleague Champions ahead of the new season after the recent signings of Scott McDonald and Scott Brown.
Chris Killen joined Hibernian in January 2006 from Oldham Athletic, and during his time at the Easter Road club, scored 19 goals.
In his first few months in Edinburgh he made eight appearances for Hibernian, scoring four goals, but last season he hit 15 goals for the club, including 13 in the Scottish Premierleague.
Killen also has an impressive scoring record at international level, scoring 13 goals in just 21 appearances for New Zealand.
Apparently Daily Record are breaking exclusive story about another Celtic signing in tomorrowās edition. Iām off to scout around to see who it is.