SPL Discussion Thread

**Junior** · 04/06/2006, 1:55 PM

Joh Hartson seems to be for the off. �500k seems cheap to me, still only 31, I suppose the one year left on his contract emans we wouldn't get much more for him.

I'd rather he stayed, I'd take a Zurawski/Hartson partnership before a Zurawski/Miller partnership in the CL, any day.

**geysir** · 04/06/2006, 2:30 PM

Hartson seems to be for the off. �500k

Every penny gained helps to pay for Varga's wages next season

**DmanDmythDledge** · 04/06/2006, 9:11 PM

Well Celtic are in the market for another striker considering they made an approach for Larrsson. Would be interesting to see Gudjohnsen playing for Celtic.

**Junior** · 05/06/2006, 9:40 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

Every penny gained helps to pay for Varga's wages next season

Thats below the belt geysir!!

Originally Posted by dmandmythdledge

Well Celtic are in the market for another striker considering they made an approach for Larrsson. Would be interesting to see Gudjohnsen playing for Celtic.

Im not so sure. Celtic would have thought they had a chance of getting Larsson to comeback (probably the only club in the UK) and he point blank said no. We've signed Miller and Riordan already.......... though these 2 were signed before the Hartson bid was accepted. I hope you're right, but we need to ensure we have a solid left back & holding midfielder first IMO.

**geysir** · 05/06/2006, 11:10 AM

Gudjohnsen is a nice thought. He's in demand though, the rumors here are about a move to Spain with a chunky transfer fee. I'd see Gudjohnsen's future more as a midfielder, a so called link player (the shattering new concept of a team with players who link) with some versatility, just enough maybe to lace Sutton's boots. O'Neill would sign him in a flash. You might have gained the impression that Strachan has embraced an imposed poverty status.

**londonirish17** · 16/06/2006, 6:50 AM

Still wonder if Zurawski was worth the money?
As his performance showed at the world cup, he hasn't got wat it takes to be a serious thread once he is opposed to world class defenders... and there are plenty of them around in the CL.
Furthermore as far as I'm concerned, I don't think that he performed well on SPL level this season...

**eirebhoy** · 16/06/2006, 8:09 AM

Zurawski is a big, big confidence player. If he's not confident he'll just be crap. A bit like Kevin Kilbane, Irish Player of the year when he was full of confidence.

I think he scored more goals than games he started in Scotland this season which is incredible considering he didn't get a bit of confidence in him until a month into the season (his first goal). He was Poland's top scorer in the qualifiers scoring against every team, 9 goals in total. He has played in Europe already and scored against Real Madrid, Parma x2, Lazio, Shalke and a few others.

I don't think the Germany performance says anything about him as he was almost playing in midfield. Hardly going to score from where he was playing with Poland's gameplan. Anyway, Zurawski has to be fully confident to play well. Diego Forlan would be another one like that. Sure, Ibrahimovich actually had decent chances to score for Sweden this WC unlike Zurawski.

**Junior** · 16/06/2006, 10:09 AM

Yeah he's had a few poor games in the WC, but lets face it Poland have been shockingly bad, he's had a few half chances, and as eirebhoy says he's been coming very deep. He'll still be disappointed no doubt.

As for the SPL, he was slow to strart, he was out with injury for a few months but then came into his own and started to put a few away. Its practically a new team at Celtic, and it takes time to settle in to a style of play and for players to understand each other, he's certainly a different type of striker than anyone in the MON teams. I am happy enough with Magic and lets face it, the fee was hardly astronomical (�2m on a 3 year contract).

I think we'll see more from him in the coming season.

**Poor Student** · 17/06/2006, 10:21 AM

Celtic don't pay him to play for Poland. They played a 4-5-1 with poor support from midfield leaving him isolated up front. Poland proved to be of pretty limited technical ability. It's a different prospect with Nakamura and Maloney supplying him with ammunition with Petrov (still may not leave) supporting him and a partner up front.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...96176&q=celtic

I know most of those goal are in Poland but the goals are the same dimensions the world over and he knows how to put the ball in it.

**eirebhoy** · 17/06/2006, 11:42 AM

On the topic of Celtic players in the world cup, I thought Naka was excellent against Australia. I looked at the BBC ratings at half time and he had an average rating of just under 8/10, miles ahead of every other player. He picked up an injury after an hour and could barely run but I think he was heading for MOTM but for Cahill.

He controls Japans games like Riquelme does for Argentina. I look forward to watching him against Croatia and Brazil. He got MOTM against Brazil in the confeds.

**drinkfeckarse** · 19/06/2006, 8:22 AM

Jiri Jarosik apparently in the bag....great signing if true. He's a great attacking midfielder but it looks as if he's a direct replacement for Petrov. The only negative I would say is that he seems to pick up a lot of niggly injuries and misses batches of 1-2 games.

**Poor Student** · 19/06/2006, 8:40 AM

Rumour has it Celtic are close to signing Hasslebaink too and I think they've signed a young Dutch defender called Evander Sno off Feyenoord for �250k. Next priority should be a left back.

**londonirish17** · 19/06/2006, 8:59 AM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

Rumour has it Celtic are close to signing Hasslebaink too and I think they've signed a young Dutch defender called Evander Sno off Feyenoord for �250k. Next priority should be a left back.

That would be some good news ! Same for Jarosik.

**Junior** · 19/06/2006, 1:19 PM

From www.celticfc.net

"CELTIC are delighted to announce the signing of Czech midfielder Jiri Jarosik from Chelsea on a three-year contract, with Celtic having the option of a fourth year.

Jiri (28), who has also played with CSKA Moscow and Sparta Prague and been capped 23 times for the Czech Republic, is delighted to be signing on with the Scottish Champions.

Jiri said: "It is a tremendous honour to sign for a club of Celtic’s size and stature. It is a fantastic time to be joining Celtic, with the club again Scottish Champions after doing so well last season and also with so much to look forward to in the Champions League.

I am very excited about joining Celtic and hope to play a part in bringing even more success to the club."

Celtic Manager Gordon Strachan is delighted to have secured Jiri’s signature. He said: "Jiri is a player who I think will be a great addition to our squad. He has tremendous ability and experience of playing at the highest level.

"He is someone I feel will make an important contribution to the club as we look towards the challenges ahead, both at home and in Europe.”

Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell added: “We are delighted to welcome Jiri to Celtic Park and are pleased to be able to bring a player of such quality to the club.

"We are pleased already to have signed a number of new players as Gordon looks to strengthen his squad.

"Supporters can rest assured that we will continue to support Gordon’s plans for the future as we look ahead to our domestic and Champions League challenges."

**gustavo** · 19/06/2006, 1:54 PM

Well i signed him for Celtic in FM2005 and he done well for me , Hope thats a good omen for ye!

**Junior** · 19/06/2006, 1:59 PM

He's not athe World Cup is he?, I didn't see much of him for Birmingham/Chelsea so I don't really know what to make of it. He has 28 caps or so for the Czechs.

**Junior** · 20/06/2006, 3:55 PM

Celtic have signed up 19-year-old midfielder Evander Sno from Feyenoord on a three-year deal.

www.bbc.co.uk

Also Jari had a fall out with the Czech coach hence his non inclusion in the WC squad.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 22/06/2006, 7:13 PM

Expect to see Jarosek as a regular when the new Czech coach takes over the national side. He will probably play against Ireland.

**londonirish17** · 27/06/2006, 6:32 AM

Looks as if the "new" Celtic team is getting shape with Riordan being the latest signing.
I still think it would also be useful to get hands on another midfielder.
Looking forward to the new season...