Giorgos Giakoumakis

tbh if you put it into comparison, Ben Doak went from the Celtic Academy to the Liverpool Academy for a reported 12 grand a week. If I was a international player playing in the ECL I'd be asking questions too.

 

This.

Obviously players look for wages, it's a short career and he wants security, just had a baby etc.

But if the paper talk is true, and he thinks Celtic wins are "routine".... Get him so far to *.

Don't need that attitude around the dressing room.

 

As much as I want him to stay, he feels like a signing that was rushed to get bodies in and Ange has tweaked his game to suit our style. Probably replacements that'll be a more natural fit.

 

He’s absolutely well within his rights to ask questions about an extension and a pay rise. I think the majority of people on this forum would agree he absolutely deserves both. No doubt about it. However, we have a structure in place and he’s probably asking for too much. Celtic have openly went and tried to negotiate a new contract with him, he’s obviously not happy with what we have put on the table and he’s well within his rights to reject it and look for a transfer. He’s lucky that he has a manager who will let him go. Just don’t throw your toys out of the pram when negotiations fall apart. The club will sell if the right bid comes in, he should know that. If we were pricing him out of a move and refusing to negotiate his contract? I could maybe see an argument for acting the * but if rumours are true and we are looking for £7m, that’s a * good deal for someone down south. Not particularly an amazing deal for us but I’d be as happy as I could be if we replaced him with Cho.

 

I still think this is a nothing burger. Cho may or may not be a good player, but GG scores a lot of important goals for us, does a great defensive shift too, and adds power and physicality upfront which gives us a different dimension in tough games.

If he was to go, we would be soon greeting for him to come back I suspect.

 

No way can we consider selling him without a drop in replacement.

Just need Kyogo to get an injury of any sort and then what.

Think there is more noise around this than anything else in it.

 

Hes switched agents. So he's either trying to get more money from us or a new club

 

Fair enough but regardless of the situation don't see how we could sell him without a replacement being in place.

 

Maybe we do have a replacement

 

Same agent as Starfelt, might just be a better option than he had? Just trying to see the cup half full.

 

The rest of the article said the weather here was * and he was telling folk during the international break he wanted a change of leagues cos it was boring. Ideally we bring in a new striker in January and tell GG he can get his move in the summer

 

I do agree with him regarding the league, it's been stale for far too long and definitely needs reconstruction if the games going to progress.

Every derby one home, one away was relished, a cup draw in that season was a massive treat, now with playing 4 times a season, going into both cups at the last 16 has diluted the meaning and significance of them. That has a knock on effect on the league status and how the league is viewed.

 

Tbh I think he's got a bit of a cheek slagging the league off when we signed him on the back of one decent season in his career from a league that isn't much better than ours. I don't grudge him wanting more money if he's only on 6k a week. But the wanting a new challenge is a joke

 

If him leaving is seriously on the cards then there is no way Ange doesn't have possible replacements lined up, ready to make offers.

 

I have to say for all the stick he gets JJ is handling his situation with more class. No leaks disparaging the club from his agent, speaking fondly of us and still showing support for the club on social media, even making time for the guy who effectively will be his replacement.

 

If he does go, and I do not think he will because I believe he is negotiating a better contract, but if he goes to an EPL side, then it will be Nottingham Forest. Why ? Read below.

The owner is Marinakis and he also is from Crete. He also is a wealthy shipping magnate, and also owns Olympiakos FC,who feature in Europe each year. Marinakis is new to the EPL and he is also used to success. He wants to stay in the EPL and will only do so with better results, meaning more goals. By signing Giakoumakis he will get a high profile Greek striker for his club, and one expected to perform well in the coming Euros games for the national team. He will get him for a price he will be happy with and may sell him later for a profit or if his EPL club gets relegated will take him to play for Olympiakos in Greece.

Giakoumakis as a forward has 5 good years left in him. He has a young family in Scotland and his partner would prefer to be back sooner in Greece and close to supportive family members who will help with raising their children and be in a better climate than the UK.

With Nottingham Forest he will not get Euro exposure but will get a fatter pay packet. With Olympiakos he will get Euro exposure but not an easy transfer to a bigger club, but he will get exposure to a lifestyle he prefers.

Giakoumakis takes time to settle into a new club and acclimatise and is a slow starter within the squad. At present he is
settled at Celtic.Ange will not let him go if he does not have a striker to take his place d guyuring this season. If GG gets the improved wages he wants from Celtic he will stay because the fans love him and you do not walk away from a good deal and a good environment - but Giakoumakis is an unpredictable guy and Cretan stubborn.

The Korean boy will not come to us because our transfer cash limit never exceeds 5 mill. He had a good WC and his transfer price will go above that amount.

 

Solid arguments, except the last one. We've signed Edouard, Jota and Vickers for more than 5 million pounds, albeit after a loan season.

I wish we used GG in a two striker system- he'd be even more effective. I am happy with him staying, but if he's leaving, then Nicholson must get Gyu-seong Jo signed up. Because game time for him will be secured, we should be able to persuade him.

 

K League's record sale is £5m. Cho wouldn't cost the earth.

 

I agree with your thoughts on Nottingham Forrest and Olympiakos, the owner is dodgy and I wouldn’t put it past him to use both his clubs as a carrot.

With regards to the Korean lad, he plays in an underrated league and clubs will still be reluctant to pay over £5m, while Korean clubs won’t be able to demand top dollar. He’ll still be available for not much. If he was from European league , different story

 

Taking the green-tinted specs off, I don't think Giakoumakis would do as well as people seem to think at a lower end EPL team. Don't think he's anywhere near clinical enough.