Jeremy Toljan

Lawwell still uses a pre-brexit coversion rate for wages paid in Euros

 

Jeremy Toljan has revealed that Celtic’s European adventures swung his decision to make a deadline day loan switch to the club.

The 24-year-old full-back watched YouTube highlights of Celtic’s 2012 win over Barcelona at Celtic Park as he factored in where to spend the latter half of the season. Toljan is understood to have attracted interest from Italy too with Napoli keen on his services, but it is at Celtic where he hopes to start clocking up significant game time.

“I know Celtic are a big club with amazing fans and an amazing stadium,” he said.

“I have seen highlights of European games so I think they are a big club who are known all over Europe.

“I remember one game in particular, when they played Barcelona. It’s a game that is stuck in my memory."

Brendan Rodgers applauded Toljan's decision to take a cut in money to make the move to Celtic, but the player himself was unwilling to elaborate on that.

"I'm not here to talk about money," he said. "I’m just here to play. That’s the only thing that matters."

In that regard, the fullback believes he has found a platform to showcase his talents, expecting that he is suited to the offensive and aggressive style that Rodgers looks for.

“I can play right back or left back," he said. "I’m a quick, offensive player. I want to go forward and I also like to score goals so hopefully I can do that at Celtic.

“I didn’t really model myself on any particular player when I was younger.

“Of course, Phillip Lam was one of the best full backs of all time so he is a role model for guys like me, but I’m not trying to be him. I’m trying to be me.

“I think Celtic’s style suits me well. They play offensive football and score many goals so this could be a good match for me."

Toljan spoke at length with Rodgers on the phone before a face-to-face chat yesterday morning, Having fallen out of favour at Dortmund this season, Toljan needs game time and was impressed with Rodgers' philosophy.

“The coach is a big factor when you move to a club and I had good conversations with Brendan Rodgers," he said.

“I knew of him because he managed good clubs in the Premier League.

“We spoke on the phone and he told me what kind of club Celtic is and his idea of football and how he sees me helping the team.

“I had other options but the conversation was good and I decided to sign for Celtic.

“I have come here because I want playing time.

“It’s always frustrating when you are not playing so I hope I can get regular football with Celtic.

“I played quite a lot last season but we had a difficult season. The whole team did not do so well.

“So this season there has been more competition and the team has been doing a lot better and when that happens then it’s hard for the coach to change anything.

“He has chosen to play Łukasz Piszczek or Achraf Hakimi in that position so I decided that I needed to go on loan to get games.

“I like big games. I like to play at a high level in competitive games and I’m looking forward to doing that."

While he has not had regular football this season, Toljan has trained and played in Borussia Dortmund's friendly games at their winter training camp. Tomorrow's game against St Johnstone might come too quickly for him but he expects to be on the pitch sooner rather than later.

“I’m fit and ready," he said. "I did all the sessions in the mid-season training camp with Dortmund and played some friendly games so I feel good."









JEREMY TOLJAN had to make a choice between football or finance.

In the end, there was only one winner as the German full-back snubbed extra Euros for the Europa League.

Celtic pulled off a deadline-day loan swoop for Borussia Dortmund full-back Toljan after lengthy talks.

Boss Brendan Rodgers revealed the former German under-21 ace had to take a hit in wages to get it done.

Toljan, 24, wouldn’t reveal how much the five-month deal cost him — but insists regular football is priceless.

He said: “I’m not here to speak about money, I’m just here to play. That’s the only thing that matters.

“I have come to Celtic because I want playing time. It’s always frustrating when you are not playing so I hope I can get regular football with Celtic.

“I played quite a lot for Dortmund last season but we had a difficult year. The whole team did not do so well.

“So this season there has been more competition and the team has been doing a lot better.

“When that happens then it’s hard for the coach to change anything.

“He has chosen to play Lukasz Piszczek or Achraf Hakimi in my position so I decided that I needed to go on loan to get games. I think Celtic’s style suits me well. They play offensive football and score many goals so this could be a good match.”

Rodgers opened up on Toljan’s wage cut and insists it spoke volumes for his desire to seal a switch.

He said: “Jeremy has sacrificed his own wages and money to want to come here, which shows a sign that he is hungry to get his career back on track again.

“He recognises that this is a big club which gives him the opportunity to do that.

“It is a great attitude to start with. It says everything for me, in terms of wanting to get football and get playing.

“I don’t think Jeremy is going to need a whole lot of time to be ready.

“He is a naturally fit boy and he’s been training and working. He is a talented player, a good age and hungry to progress.”

Toljan is likely to make his Celtic debut within the next week and should be up to speed for the Valencia Europa League clash this month.

Capable of playing in either full-back position, he hopes to make an instant impact on the big stage.

He said: “I like big games. I like to play at a high level in competitive games and I’m now looking forward to doing that.

“I know Celtic are a big club with amazing fans and an amazing stadium.

“I have seen highlights of European games so I think they are a big club who are known all over Europe.

“I remember one game in particular, when they played Barcelona. It’s a game that is stuck in my memory.

“I know Andreas Hinkel, who used to be at Celtic. We’re from the same town in Germany.

“I haven’t spoken to him but I found out that he wore the No2 shirt and I have the same so that’s a nice coincidence.

“I can play right-back or left-back. I’m a quick, offensive player.

“I want to go forward and I also like to score goals so hopefully I can do that at Celtic.

“I didn’t really model myself on any particular player when I was younger.

“Of course, Philipp Lahm was one of the best full-backs of all time so he is a role model for guys like me.

“But I’m not trying to be him. I’m trying to be me.

“I’m looking forward to challenging Mikael Lustig. Right-back is my main position.

“But it’s like everywhere. There are guys who want to play and I am no different.”

Toljan revealed he held talks with Celtic boss Rodgers before agreeing his loan move on Thursday night.

And he admits the chat with the ex-Liverpool gaffer played a huge part in his decision to agree a deal.

He said: “The coach is a big factor when you move to a club and I had good conversations with Brendan Rodgers.

“I knew of him before because he managed good clubs in the Premier League.

"We spoke on the phone and he told me what kind of club Celtic is, his idea of football and how he sees me helping the team.

“I had other options but the conversation with Brendan Rodgers was good and I decided to sign for Celtic.”

Toljan wouldn’t be drawn on whether he hopes to stay on in Glasgow beyond the summer — preferring to focus on his loan deal.

And the former Germany Olympic star insists putting himself in the frame for a full cap during his Scottish stint hasn’t even crossed his mind.

He said: “We will see what happens in the future but I’m just focused on this period.

“I’m fit and ready. I did all the sessions in the mid-season training camp with Dortmund and played some friendly games so I feel good.

“I don’t even think about the national team right now, I have come from a difficult situation where I wasn’t playing games so first of all I just need to play and play well.”

 

Tollie, number 2.

Hope he's no *.

 

Great attitude.

Shows he’s hungry to play games and win trophies over sitting on the bench for an extra 5-10 grand a week.

Polar opposite to our last Bundesliga signing.

 

Nah it was a pic of Jack Jarvis esquire Weclome mat ffs

 

* craic eh

 

It’s the rules.


The only * allowed is goal gifs.

 

Would have been deleted because any images or gifs unrelated to the thread are banned in Celtic Chat.

You’re lucky you never got a week in the cells laddie.

 

Christ is it that petty on here now. How is a welcome pic unrelated to a Welcome to Celtic thread

 

It's hard to tell from the YouTube vids how good he is, didn't really see a demonstration of the speed he apparently has. Couple of nice skillful touches which look like he's got a good mind for seeing the game slower than it is.

Definitely feel a lot more confident about him than Marvin although I was very excited about him because any player who's got Bundesliga experience is usually going to be decent considering it must be technically very close to La Liga in overall quality.

I've not seen much Seria a for ages but if Napoli were interested that can only be good cause they were so close to putting Liverpool out of UCL and without too much stereotyping Italian teams historically have a good eye for defenders and they're in Europa too so if he's being regarded that kind of quality then it could be great.

What I do like is the drop in wages he's willing to take, it's only a few months but it shows ambition cause I think he's taking a drop so that in the summer after some impressive performances with us he's in a position negotiate a better deal.

Wonder if that also means he's looked at Lustig and Ralston and said I'm definitely getting a game ahead of them? The drop in wage does point to confidence, I don't imagine he sees his long term future here because he'll be thinking of previous players who've impressed here and their big moves but if it means he's putting himself in the shop window then we're going to get the very best out of him.

Borussia have an excellent defence so it's not a worry he's not getting a game for them, it's probably a good thing he's played for them at all considering their UCL form.

I wonder why the 30th June? It's a strange date for someone taking a drop in wages.

Is it possible he's waiting till the very latest to sign for someone else because the qualifiers start on 9th July.

Still don't know why he wouldn't go back to Dortmund at end of May but I'm not being negative.

Lustig is one of my favourite players, as someone already mentioned he's a cult hero but mostly it's because Mikel on form is very good at defending and great at counter attacking. I hope he stays on as a coach.

Full back is very demanding on stamina though and unlike CB or DM it's not a position players can afford to conserve energy in.

Ffs should I edit it to just say 'no bad, will wait till he's controlled a Gordon counter pass.' @Seán Mac D cheeky *

 

Fair play, probably a lot of players would be unwilling to do that.

 

He’s a game changer

 

JEREMY Toljan must put his wretched spell at Borussia Dortmund behind him and rediscover the form that led to him being tipped to become a full German internationalist as a youngster if he wants his Celtic loan to be a success.

But the right back possesses many attributes – including searing pace, an eye for goal and high energy levels – which can help the Parkhead club in their bids to complete a treble treble and progress in the Europa League during the second half of the season.

Those were the expert views of Stefan Buczko, who covers the Bundesliga leaders for the ESPN FC website and is the host of The Yellow Wall podcast, today after the 24-year-old agreed to move to Scotland until the end of the 2018/19 campaign.

Brendan Rodgers, the Celtic manager, had been eager to bring in a right back during January and last night he finally secured the services of Toljan with little over an hour of the transfer window to spare.

Buczko was unsurprised the defender agreed to the move as he has been a peripheral figure at the Westfalenstadion this season – he has not been involved in a single first team game under new head coach Lucien Favre - and appeared to have little chance of featuring going forward.

The former Germany Under-21 internationalist, who helped his country win the silver medal in the Olympic Games in Brazil in 2016 and the European Under-21 Championship in 2017, was signed from Hoffenheim for €6 million two years ago.

He was a regular starter for the BVB alongside the likes of Mario Gotze, Marco Reus and Andre Schurrle in his debut season and was involved in their Champions League and Europa League games.

However, the arrival of former Hertha Berlin, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Nice manager Favre has led to him dropping out of the picture at Dortmund and Buczko believes joining Celtic is the right decision.

“I’m not really sure what happened to Toljan,” said Buczko. “He just sort of fell off the radar at some point. He was bought as a stop gap player. Marcel Schmelzer and Lukasz Piszczek were their full backs and they wanted a player to cover in case of injuries.

 

* posting anything of Matthew Lindsay's on here.

The only time he writes about Celtic is some negative slant on things. Same with Chris Jack.

 

He is the type of player we should be signing permanently. Yes he has had a tough time at BVB but he is a very good player.

I hope he hits the ground running and we can convince him to stay after his loan.

Welcome to Celtic

 

He looks good imo,fast,hard as nails,someone who will put in a shift,hopefully it all goes well for him.

Didn't even notice it was him tbh.

 

The black Hinkel!

 

Don't want to get ahead of myself till I see him play, but if he is the sort of player we think he is,then yeah you are right.

We need 5 or 6 of these players as key players in our starting 11, the rest made up of our own youth or decent experience players.

We are doing it with the midfield to front, Sinclair, ntcham, Édouard complemented with McGregor, Forrest and brown. But we lack it at the back line.

Tierney is good, as is ajer for a first teamer. But we could do with this level at right back, one of the centre backs and the keeper.


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Oooft I thought maybe we needed two defenders to see us through the next two seasons but 5 or 6 out of favour Dortmund players? What a mental team that would be, I actually don't think I'd ever be worried about a domestic game again for 4 years, would be good to get revenge on PSG and Barca as well