Not Actually that Crucial a Summer as of August 2023...beginning to now think everything isnt fine!

I admire his dedication to the stats but he's always negative. Have to ignore him now as it's too much.

 

I find his stats useful insofar as they apply to what I see, like any stats. Taking stats as gospel if obviously short-sighted and that's where people like him just end up looking stupid. There's only so much they can tell us.

I enjoy the pod he does with Alan Morrisson as it provides a different perspective, but knowing how much he goes entirely on stats and his track record of terrible shouts I find it hard to take any of his analysis too seriously.

 

Let's not forget that our team last season wasn't good enough to make a dent in the CL. So even if we still had Jota, we still needed to upgrade areas of the side.

 

Daily schedule.

Checks thread.

Sighs overly dramatically.

Leaves thread.

 

Feels like our crucial summer, will be a crucial August..

Not ideal, it's always better to get players in early, however you'd hope we are just waiting on the quality needed to take us up a level.

Expect things to start ramping up soon, hopefully confirm the two Koreans this weekend and we definitely need a CB even for the start of the domestic campaign..

However, hopefully we get the next level signings beginning of Aug..

 

Just think we are putting ourselves in a slight disadvantage with signings still to come in while the zombies have mostly done their business and trying different new players while the season hasn't started yet .
We will probably have to bed in these new signings during competitive games and not a ideal situation.

 

Right winger
Centre mid (after Korean lad)
Centre back x2 (1 depends on outgoing)
Left back
Goalie

That's the shopping list to the close of the window

 

Huge difference we are going after guys who are wanted by their current clubs and other clubs.

All their signings where either free or clubs where delighted to get rid of them due to poor performance

 

I get that but I expect the league to be closer this year and a couple of draws as we saw for the zombies last year your playing catch up and not many teams will take points off both Celtic and the zombies.

 

I still want us to sign a big tall CH in the same mould as Paul Elliot or big Bobo Balde

 

The player we are looking at in the Dutch league looks the part .

 

I think your wise words reflect the thoughts of the majority of us.

 

Finger crossed m8

 

Being optimistic. We will see movement when the squad are back in Glasgow. Calm. Calm. Calm.

 

Would be happy with this, ideally the other CB would be able to cover RB too, possibly the Dutch boy now we have Nawrocki..

Should be aiming to get rid of Kobayashi, Welsh, Bernabei, Scales and Urhoghide.. 5 of our first team squad defenders that aren't good enough..

 

“That’s what the club will always try and do. The body is work the club has produced over the last decade of so has shown that it’s the right path to be on.

“It’s about identifying the talent and clearly the club is very good at doing that. Then it’s about coaching that talent and developing it.”

Rodgers remained tight-lipped on Nawrocki talk but he admitted he is looking to bolster his defence. He said: “It’s one of the areas that I felt we could have greater depth in.

“We have some really good platers already here of course with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt who have been the regular two. Yuki Kobayashi hasn’t played so much but is also there.

“We also have Stephen Welsh who is a really committed player for the squad. He’s a really good lad and it’s been good to see him develop. But I feel we need another one.”

Rodgers is looking to ramp up the recruitment drive after Celts round off their Japan trip after today’s clash with Gamba Osaka. He said: “I wouldn’t put a number on it but in terms of depth to the squad I think that’s what’s needed.

“Even before I came back in I think people would have recognised the team needed improvement. And there is no better time to do that than when you are having success.

“So we’ve been able to bring in some emerging talent players into the squad which will be great for later on. But you also need guys who are first-team ready.”

 

Brendan Rodgers insists he’s not back at Celtic because he’s been promised wads of cash.

The Hoops boss is closing in on £4m Legia Warsaw defender Maik Nawrocki with Korean stars Yang Hyun-jun and Kweon Hyeok-kyo just to be rubber stamped. But Rodgers is determined to put the record straight after suggestions in the summer he only agreed to return to the club after been given assurances he could spend big bucks. The Irishman said: “The club will reach out and spend what they possibly can within the model.

"But I think there has been a narrative based around me coming back which seems to be ‘he’s only back here because he can spend a load of money’ And that couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m back here because I want to be the Celtic manager and I’m very privileged to be that. It’s absolutely nothing to do with money whatsoever. I know where the club is at.

“I am much more aware coming back in of the model and where it is at. That’s why I needed the time to make the decision to come back, because I need to know everything about the club and where it’s at.

“So for me on a personal level the club has a model it works to and I’ll work within that. But there seemed to be a different narrative about me coming back here.

“It felt like it was people who don’t know me were creating a story around ‘why would he come back?’ It was like ‘he must be doing it because of the war chest he’s being given.’

“It does make me laugh when I read it. But it’s one where I will work within the model of the club and the club has a business model which has been really successful.

“We will look for players who are first-team ready. But we’ll also look at players who we can bring in and develop and move on. That’s the nature of it.

“Look, there are levels to it all. You could bring in a player at any cost because if he’s a good player he’ll have value. That’s what we want.

“But I’m not, in any way at all, demanding that we need to sign three players at £10m or £15m. That’s not the case.”

Rodgers knows fans want to see the club splash out on big stars. But the Hoops boss is also confident the punters understand the way the Parkhead club works.

He said: “The whole march to ten was really emotional, especially by the end. But once that was finished, and everyone could take a step back, it was really about ‘what’s in the best interests in the club.’

“Celtic is one of the biggest clubs in world football. Sadly we don’t have the resources of some of the others. But it doesn’t mean you can’t be successful in how you work.

“And I think there is a greater understanding of that model and what it is. My advice will always be you need good players.

“But I’d always say to the supporters, you support the jersey rather than the player who is in it. It can be a big talent no matter what he costs.

“That’s what the club will always try and do. The body is work the club has produced over the last decade of so has shown that it’s the right path to be on.

“It’s about identifying the talent and clearly the club is very good at doing that. Then it’s about coaching that talent and developing it.”

Rodgers remained tight-lipped on Nawrocki talk but he admitted he is looking to bolster his defence. He said: “It’s one of the areas that I felt we could have greater depth in.

“We have some really good platers already here of course with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt who have been the regular two. Yuki Kobayashi hasn’t played so much but is also there.

“We also have Stephen Welsh who is a really committed player for the squad. He’s a really good lad and it’s been good to see him develop. But I feel we need another one.”

Rodgers is looking to ramp up the recruitment drive after Celts round off their Japan trip after today’s clash with Gamba Osaka. He said: “I wouldn’t put a number on it but in terms of depth to the squad I think that’s what’s needed.

“Even before I came back in I think people would have recognised the team needed improvement. And there is no better time to do that than when you are having success.

“So we’ve been able to bring in some emerging talent players into the squad which will be great for later on. But you also need guys who are first-team ready.”








Both Albian Ajeti and James McCarthy are still officially Celtic players. The Swiss forward has a year to run on his contract while the Ireland midfielder’s deal doesn’t expire until 2025.

A £5m signing from West Ham in 2020, Ajeti scored on his debut against Dundee United but managed just six goals in 30 games in his first season and three in 17 in his second.

His last goal was almost two years ago against Real Betis in Seville. He went on loan to Sturm Graz last season but rarely played.

It’s understood that Ajeti and his agent have so far rejected Celtic’s offer to pay up a percentage of his remaining year - a la Vasilis Barkas - and, as things stand, he plans to sit tight.

McCarthy, a boyhood Celtic fan, made 22 appearances in his first season but just five last term.

He was last seen as as a sub against Motherwell in a League Cup game on October 19. He suffered a significant hamstring injury in November and was last filmed training in May, but didn’t travel to Japan and has clearly played his last game for the club.

Postecoglou hit the bullseye time and again in the transfer market, but the acquisition of the ex-Crystal Palace player was an expensive disaster.

As with Ajeti, the other ghost man of Lennoxtown, it’s safe to assume that all offers - reasonable or otherwise - will be considered.

Finding a solution for other misfits should not be quite as taxing.

Ismaila Soro, the Ivorian midfielder who signed from Bnei Yehuda in 2020 on a four-year deal, spent last season on loan at Arouca in Portugal. A similar arrangement would suit all parties and lessen the financial hit.

Osaze Urhoghide, who penned a four-year deal in 2021 from Sheffield Wednesday, also appears willing to further his career by playing football.

A Postecoglou signing, the Dutch defender made just one first-team appearance under the Australian and has had successive loan spells at KV Oostende.

Liam Shaw, who also arrived from Wednesday in the same transfer window, has had loan spells at Motherwell and Morecambe and will likely return to the English lower leagues, possibly with Wigan.

Yet the list of outgoings won’t be restricted to those players who didn’t merit a seat on the plane to Japan this week.

Rodgers has spent the trip assessing the options at his disposal, and he will inevitably want to reduce the squad in numbers while improving its quality.

Bosun Lawal, the Irish central defender, is wanted on loan by Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers, and will talk to both parties on his return.

Liam Scales got a run-out from the bench against Yokohama F. Marinos but has Carl Starfelt, Greg Taylor and Alexandro Bernabei ahead of him as he seeks to earn a slot at left centre-half or left-back.

Having finished last season strongly at Aberdeen, a return to Pittodrie would hold some appeal.

Stephen Welsh also finds himself at a crossroads. Celtic have so far turned down all interest in him, but it’s now crunch time for the defender’s career.

The same applies to David Turnbull, scorer of a fine consolation goal on Tuesday.

While the retirement of Aaron Mooy opens the door a little, will he be content to play back-up to Matt O’Riley, McGregor and Reo Hatate?

Rodgers rates Mikey Johnston but must now wonder if he will ever be able to rely on him.

Having returned to Glasgow after a fruitful loan spell at Vitoria Guimaraes, the winger is out for three months with a back injury.

 

“So we’ve been able to bring in some emerging talent players into the squad which will be great for later on. But you also need guys who are first-team ready.”

Exactly what we want to be hearing.

 

Defo!