Marco Tilio

Yeah there’s no doubt the signings since the first season of Ange haven’t made anywhere near the same impact. Johnston has been brilliant of course but he’s the only one to slot in and keep a regular spot.

Think Oh will be very good for us. But Iwata…I haven’t seen anything really. Kobayashi looks poor. Haska has done next to nothing. Bernabei is a bit of a bombscare.

 

Relatively speaking, yes! However, it feels a bit like the players brought in for the 1st year were intended to immediately burst through - each mostly established already, just unknown to most of us, and that the others later were intended as development players. Like 1st year was short-odds gambles and 2nd was mid-to-long-odds...

 

* * that top doesn't look great on anyone so far.

 

A total unknown and hoping he can show something. Can't rely on highlight reels as I seen one for Jason Cummings this morning and * sake he looked good in his one over in Australia

 

When the telephone rang and Marco Tilio saw it was Celtic on the other end, his response was as quick and swift as the playing style that brought the club to try and sign him.

The Australia internationalist only had one thing on his mind when the call came in and that was to make this move to Paradise happen, as he put pen to paper on a five-year deal from Australian side, Melbourne City.

The 21-year-old has joined his new team-mates for the first week of pre-season training ahead of the new season, and the exciting attacker said it’s a dream come true to finally be here.

Speaking at Celtic Park today, Marco Tilio said: “It was a couple of weeks ago that I knew everything was falling into place.

'It was amazing for me because this is such a big club and I couldn’t say no to it.'

“The move to Europe has been on my mind and I just worked on trying to perform on the field.

“When I moved to Melbourne City three years ago, it was my goal to get to Europe and here I am with an opportunity that has presented itself and I can’t wait to get started.

“The club had kept tabs on me for a couple of seasons now, but I never really thought about it and I just tried to perform on the field.

“Now I’m here, everyone I’ve spoken to has been amazing and I’m really happy to be here.”




With trophies to compete for and UEFA Champions League football on the way, the former A-League champion is excited to get going in the new campaign.

He added: “I spoke to Aaron Mooy before I made my decision as I had been involved with him at the national team a few times.

“He couldn’t speak highly enough of the club and the people at the club, and it brought it to my attention that I really wanted to do this.

“I spoke to Brendan Rodgers as well and he said I’m an exciting attacker and he likes to play an attacking brand of football and that’s what I like to do as a player. I hope with this opportunity I have that I can do that.

'It’s going to be massive to try to win back-to-back trebles - that is what the club’s goal is.'

“At Melbourne, it was all about winning trophies as well and I have some experience of doing that so I hope I can bring it here.

“It’s a massive bonus playing in the Champions League. It’s a dream and to be part of a team that’s going into that tournament is amazing and hopefully, I can present myself on that stage too.”

And Brendan Rodgers is delighted with the latest addition to his Celtic squad. The Celtic manager said: "Marco's slight in stature but he’s very quick and he’s very dynamic, and I think he’ll prove to be a really good addition to the squad.

"He can play in a couple of positions and he scores goals. He’s a young player hopefully with a bright future and I look forward to seeing him

 

The back of the top is * abysmal. Like what @We named the dog Indiana said, you could have Annabell Peaks wearing it wi her legs wide open and it would still look hoaching.

 

Regarding the last couple transfer windows being uninspiring, although I'd agree that's true in comparison to what came before under Ange, it should also be noted that we've been buying a different profile of player. Players like Kyogo, Jota, GG, JJ, Hatate, CCV, Starfelt etc were all oven-ready first team starters, most costing significant (for us) fees. Whereas Oh, Berna, Kobayashi are all younger players, not brought in to immediately start, but to be developed. Even Haksa and Iwata were cheaper signings, likely brought in to supplement the squad rather than start.

With Jota and Mooy leaving, and others likely to follow, now is the time to spend some dosh and bring in another batch of first-11 quality signings again. But we all know that.

 

Listened to a scouting podcast on Tilio this morning and the scout was very upbeat about him. Hopefully he's as good as the scout made him sound as he'll be very exciting if that's the case.

 

Something sexy about it I think

 

I think him and the korean winger could surprise us tbh, hopefully anyway.

 

Marco Tilio wasn’t able to get the Harry Kewell Medal draped around his neck.

But the Celtic new boy has landed an even more cherished prize now he has the chance to work every day under one of his boyhood Aussie heroes. Tilio’s outstanding displays for Sydney as well as Melbourne City as an up-and-coming star brought him recognition in his homeland.

Twice the attacker was in the running to land the PFA Harry Kewell Medal, given for outstanding performance by an Under-23 player running out in the A-League or an overseas-based Aussie. Tilio didn’t get it on either occasion when nominated. That doesn’t matter now, though. The 21-year-old admits he was as nervous as he’s ever been when meeting his new boss Brendan Rodgers for the first time after signing. However, the presence of Kewell among the coaching staff at Parkhead offers another pinch me situation with a chance to mix with an idol of his


Like all youngsters Down Under with football in their blood, the former Socceroo superstar is an inspiration to kids on account of his exploits both for his country and in Europe playing for top sides such as Liverpool plus Leeds. And Tilio believes he’s now got the main prize after missing out on the award




He said: “In the last couple of years I was in the nominations for it but I never got it. Obviously he’s a massive person back home with a huge stature and it can only help me as a person and as a player to be working under him now as a player. I am looking forward to that.

“At the World Cup he was around, so I met him there and I obviously spoke with him here. You look at the World Cups he’s been to, his pedigree and what he has done in his career. It is testament to how he was as a player. And his drive and energy is going to be exactly the same as a coach. Hopefully he can help me to be someone like him here in Scotland and beyond.




He had a massive career and that is testament to his hard work, his character and how he was as a person and a player. So I hope to learn under him and he can bring the best out of me. The likes of Harry and Tim Cahill, all young Australians look up to these types of players. Seeing him in the flesh now every single day, I think I’ll pinch myself. It’s pretty cool. As an Australian, I looked up to Tim and Harry. Outside of that, Lionel Messi was my icon.”




Kewell is not the only Aussie to have an influence on Tilio as the youngster made the choice to switch to Scotland. He’s racked up seven senior caps of his own to follow in footsteps and added: “I spoke with Aaron Mooy before making my decision. I’ve been involved in the national team with him a few times. He couldn’t speak highly enough of the club and the people here. It brought my attention that I wanted to join this great club.


I have watched a few games before and Celtic are a team that dominate a game. It’s an amazing stadium. See it packed with a full house, it brings an energy to the players out there playing. Now to be here and have a chance to get out there, I can’t wait.”

Tilio, of course, knows that joining a club with such huge expectations and history brings its own pressures. Celtic have been a trophy-winning machine in the past few years and the relentless need for success means there is little time for bedding in.

But the Aussie reckons he can handle the situation, having worked his way into the position to earn his switch. He said: “I don’t think about that right now. It’s all about getting comfortable and taking the opportunity once I get it, then I can show the fans what I can




Tilio was a regular winner with Melbourne before his move to Glasgow’s east end and, although the pressures are different, winning is winning. He added: “I’ve come from a club that liked winning trophies and I know here it’s all about winning trophies. As a team, we want to win things, so to have that experience from back home is only going to help me as a player coming in here.

“I’m ready. I wouldn’t have come to Europe now if I wasn’t. I’ve done my apprenticeship back home in Australia and I wanted to take this next step in my career into Europe. This is an opportunity for myself and I can’t wait. I’ve been playing since I was six years old and loved every minute of it so far


I was a young player and I knew I had to bide my time back home in Australia. I just wanted to grow and make that step when I was ready. Now is the time I feel ready.

“I guess I had to live up to expectations but I always focused on what I can control – that’s training every day and playing games. In my time in Australia, it was about performing each week. I knew an opportunity would arise if I did that. I’m here now and I want to do well.”

 

Gotta be honest with you... It's growing on me! As long as it's seen from a bit of a distance, where the ragged edge of the hoops isn't so pronounced. Then it just looks like it's patterned.

Wouldn't have chosen it myself, but my initial repulsion is subsiding a bit - for the short sleeve, the long is still bogging

Edit: to clarify, I mean I'm no longer embarrassed by it, when we'll play in it. I've no intention whatsoever to buy it and have to actually physically look at it up close.

 

Just watched his interview and i have to say the top looks much better than it has in pictures...the green is a bit duller and it helps.