The last week for Coventry City was supposed to be a defining week in the clubs history and whilst in many ways it has been, there are still so many questions that have been left unanswered.
The confusion which now surrounds the club began late on Thursday evening when out of nowhere owners Sisu chose to put Coventry City FC Limited (CCFC Ltd) into administration. The statement released detailed that CCFC Ltd a ‘non-operating subsidiary’ had been put into administration but CCFC (Holdings) Ltd was not suggesting the club itself had been spared administration.
Confusion was the overriding emotion following this statement and the scheduled court case which would have seen the club as a whole go into administration was postponed to allow for further investigation into the club.
The other important aspect which was the only thing that we seemed to be a hundred per cent certain on was that Sisu’s actions had voided the contract between them and ACL meaning Coventry City FC now had no home, with there now being no rental contract between the two parties.
Rumours and possible scenarios began to circulate around the social media sites as City fans tried to understand the implications of Sisu’s actions. Rumours of new owners looking to invest as well as potential grounds to play our remaining home fixtures, and whether or not the club will get a points deduction.
Then on Friday it emerged that the club was clearing out stock from the club shop at the Ricoh arena. It was later confirmed that staff and stock had been moved to a different location which was later confirmed as city’s Ryton training ground. This seemed to signal the end of City’s time at the Ricoh but now where does the club go.
Saturday arrived with pretty much all of the questions still left unanswered and attentions turned to the match against Portsmouth. Does this match even matter was the question on a lot of fans minds but being football fans we got on with it and got behind the boys in Skyblue.
It was a game where the players could be excused from being distracted by what’s been going on at the club but the players seemed to respond relatively positively. An early penalty looked to give the Skyblue fans something to cheer but McSheffery stepped up and had is penalty saved by an impressive Eastwood. Things kind of went downhill from there and despite a number of good chances for City it wasn’t to be their day. 2-0 to Portsmouth was the final result and it seemed like things couldn’t get any worse for City.
How wrong I was as new continued to break over the next few days. News emerged that ACL and others believed the club had made a mistake and was actually in administration as a whole. For this reason ACL went into court on Tuesday with the intention of withdrawing their application for CCFC to be put into administration.
This has all come down to where a so called ‘golden share’ lies. This ’golden share’ refers to the clubs membership of the football league and it is now understood to lie with CCFC Ltd and not as Sisu suggested with CCFC (Holdings) Ltd. This should have meant the club were going to be confirmed as being in administration but continued discrepancies mean we are still left wondering although a point’s deduction looks more and more likely as time goes on.
One thing that is very interesting as well as worrying is that the court was informed that the club is actually £60million in debt. Now Sisu have consistently stated that the club has no debt so once again it would suggest that we have all been lied too on an even bigger scale then we could have imagined.
The club has taken some positive steps in that a short term deal is now being talked of too enable the club to play its last three home matches at the Ricoh Arena. No matter what happens I think everyone can agree that this is a favourable scenario for all involved.
Our club is in crisis and we are undoubtedly looking for a saviour. Former life president Joe Elliot this week has stoked the fans hopes by publicly talking about an American millionaire who is apparently interested in the club.
His name is Preston Haskell and has in the past shown strong interest in another UK based football club, Leeds United. On the face of it he seems like the real deal. He has a fortune worth an estimated $250 million (£157 million), is a genuine sports fan, great business knowledge and so far have only heard good things about this millionaire from Texas.
We have heard all this before though and had our hopes raised only to be left with the likes of our current owners. At this moment in time though anyone other than Sisu seems like a good option and for that reason I welcome administration and I never thought I would say that.
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It is a huge shame that it has come to this for our beloved club but administration does offer he club a potential fresh start. We have been going downhill as a club for as long as I can remember and just maybe this could finally be the beginning of revival for the club. My only concern is how far we are going to have to fall before we begin to rise again.
Sisu’s dealings with this club are far from over and there is plenty of drama still to come that I am sure of. It does have to end at some point though and one way or another I cannot wait for a resolution to this so once again we can concentrate on the football side of things.
Liverpool are most certainly a side in transition under new manager Brendan Rodgers, but aside from the disappointing start to the new league season, there have been seeds of hope sown by the performances of several youngsters in the side with Jonjo Shelvey in particular displaying maturity well beyond his years with performances reminiscent of a young Steven Gerrard.
The 20-year-old midfielder already boasts a wealth of experience considering his age, having featured in exactly 100 first-team games at club level for Charlton, Blackpool (on loan) and Liverpool in his fledgling career so far. While his sending off against Manchester United is still a divisive topic among both sets of supporters, there’s no denying that the the player is certainly a huge talent.
This rashness of thought is common in young players and he will inevitably still make mistakes, with his dismissal against the club’s bitter rivals something of a doosie, but Gerrard was equally as guilty of similar sorts of challenges early on in his career and he eventually matured into a fantastic, world-class player.
Shelvey has quickly developed into a starting regular under Rodgers and his performances have seen Gerrard switch to a deeper-lying role as a result, which has coincided with a return to form for the skipper, who had looked lost at the tip of the midfield triumvirate at the start of the season.
To do the role justice, you need to not only have sound positional and tactical awareness to be able to flit between the dual demands that the role requires – supporting the lone striker and helping the side dominate possession – in the managers system, you have to be able to keep your composure and combine both power and precision.
The club’s pursuit of both Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson this summer suggested that Rodgers had reservations about Gerrard’s effectiveness in the role and whether he had the legs for it anymore, which over short spells he may well do, but he can struggle to influence the game over long period, but Shelvey has excelled there, just as he did against Manchester City behind Gerrard when he came on to replace the desperately unlucky Lucas Leiva, who went off with injury just five minutes into the game.
It was his performance coming off the bench against Young Boys in the away Europa League tie that really caught the attention, though and it was not only his confidence, or as Rodgers will insist on calling it in his new managerial jargon ‘game arrogance’, but the way he seemed like the best player on the pitch just moments after he took to the pitch.
Rodgers praised the midfielder after the game stating: “He has been outstanding. He is still only 20 years of age and is developing and growing all the time and you saw his confidence when he came on. His (first) goal, we worked it very well and he did what he can do very well and I think he will be a big player for Liverpool.”
He’s one of those rare players that just looks like he knows what he’s doing; he’s intelligent with his movement both on and off the ball and while his passing can be wayward at times (see the performance against Hearts at home), that’s been the exception rather than the norm at the moment and he deserves a place in the side on merit at the moment.
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The real test, though, will be how he copes when the side is at full strength. Lucas will certainly return to the starting eleven when he recovers from his spell on the sidelines and Joe Allen is practically undroppabale simply because his metronomic passing is key to the teams style, which could see Gerrard pushed further forward again, which would mean Shelvey being dropped to the bench. The form of Nuri Sahin and Jordan Henderson, while consigned largely to cup games at the moment, is also worth of consideration.
Replacing a club legend is an impossible task in many fans eyes as you’re often held to the same standard, but the terraces are likely to be far more lenient if the player in question boasts the work-rate and ability of Shelvey, particularly given his age. He’s not shown quite the same consistency that Gerrard displayed during his peak years yet, nor the game-changing ability to drag the side by the scruff of its neck, but positionally and the way that he looks to drive forward from midfield with the ball, always looking to play the forward pass has shades of Gerrard in it and at the moment, he is the unquestionable heir apparent.
Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye is set to be out of Premier League action until January with a groin injury.
The Frenchman sustained the problem whilst on international duty, but it was initially thought to be a minor issue.
However, Alan Pardew has conceded that it appears to be worse than originally thought and that the ex-Lille man may be out of action until after Christmas:
“Cabaye looks like he could be out four to six weeks.” He told the Evening Chronicle.
“He might possibly have to have a little surgery on that groin. It could be we run all the way to the end of January before I have my first team to pick from.”
His absence is of particular concern to Pardew who is already missing Ryan Taylor, Haris Vuckic and Dan Gosling with long-term problems.
To make matters worse, Ivory Coast international Cheick Tiote will be unavailable for the start of 2013 due to African Cup of Nations.
Pardew admitted that with the holding midfielder’s imminent absence, he cannot afford to lose any more members of his squad:
“When Cabaye comes back, Cheick will be gone. It is tough for us at the minute,
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“You have seasons when you lose players and you have to be able to cope with it.
“If I had everybody available then losing Cabaye would not be such a blow. At the minute we cannot afford to lose anybody.”
It takes a certain type of bond for a club and its star player to turn a page and start afresh following a rough, rocky and ugly patch. With Liverpool and Luis Suarez, there may be something positive to work with, now that signs indicate the player will be staying – for the time being at least. But it’s doubtful that it’s a completely new page in the Suarez-Liverpool story.
An indictment of the modern game is that clubs need to prove their worth to their own players. Arsenal have been down that path many times in the past, with the most recent episode culminating in Robin van Persie publically outlining the difference in view for the way in which the club should move forward.
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With Suarez, the player clearly wants Champions League football, but importantly also a future away from Anfield. As talented as he is – for some, among the best in the world – he has never had a full campaign in the Champions League. There is a desire to battle alongside the leading names in European football, with international teammates both echoing and voicing their own opinions on the matter.
But obviously Liverpool don’t have that on offer at this time. The club are spending wisely and look to continue to do so before the window closes on September 2nd, but does the player have that affinity with the club to alter his views on the immediate future? He wants Real Madrid above all else, much like many from South America do. Based on what’s formed the basis of this transfer saga, Champions League football is at the head of his priorities, not forming part of a building project to attain that in a few years. Though for a player of his calibre, a consistent charge on league titles would also be a priority, probably even more so.
You’d certainly feel that Liverpool would accept a sizeable bid from Real Madrid, something in the region of £60 million. The club have continued to work on the field without the Uruguayan, despite appearances in preseason, and the formation of a promising, young attack is keeping him out of mind for now.
But Liverpool and Suarez’s ambitions simply do not fall in line with one another – similar ambitions, obviously, but both are not on the same wavelength. The club have followed a formula in the market and sought to strengthen their climb up the Premier League table. Even with the apparent U-turn in the saga, Liverpool still appear to be chasing a big-money signing, suggested by their interest in Willian. You’d have to ask whether the club would sound out players like the Brazilian if they felt Suarez would be a long-term fixture in the team.
Steven Gerrard may have acted as peacemaker between the player and Brendan Rodgers, and sure, Liverpool will have an even better chance of securing a place in the top four this season with the Uruguayan in the squad, but that doesn’t mean that this story has been put to bed. Suarez doesn’t strike you as a player who will remain settled for a prolonged period of time. Sure, he spent nearly five years at Ajax, but his previous two clubs only saw a year of him each, while Liverpool could lose him two-and-a-half years after signing him. He has no prior affiliation with Liverpool, and with Real Madrid extremely prominent in his mind, it doesn’t appear that there is a basis for a long-term future with Liverpool, with or without Champions League football.
Has Rodgers done enough to convince Suarez to stay?
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With nearly half of the season gone already in the top flight, every team is readying itself for the busy and potentially decisive festive period, which can often make or break any European hopes any respective club may secretly harbour. But with both the Manchester clubs seemingly assured of Champions League football again next term, what about the other hopefuls, such as Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, Newcastle and Arsenal? Let’s take a look and assess their chances.
Last season, Chelsea’s success by triumphing in the most unlikely of circumstances saw them clinch the final qualifying place despite only finishing 6th in the Premier League, cruelly relegating Tottenham to the Europa League. After all, as Liverpool fans experienced after their shock success back in 2005, it’s difficult to call it the ‘Champions League’ when it doesn’t have the defending champions in it and along with Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United, England had its four representatives, who, by and large, most people would have predicted prior to the season beginning, even if the route was somewhat convoluted this time around. This season, though, the race for a top four place looks wide open and several teams stand a reasonably good chance of gatecrashing the party.
The fact that so many of the top sides are currently in a period that they would term as ‘transition’ means for the first time in recent memory, there could be two places up for grabs in the top four, with only Sir Alex Ferguson’s and Roberto Mancini’s sides good enough to string a consistent run of form together at the moment, despite their obvious deficiencies and each and every challenger has gone through a period of rotten form already.
Chelsea currently sit in third in the league table at the moment, but a ten-point gap has slowly but surely opened up behind United and they’ve slipped well off the pace, long before the deeply unpopular Rafa Benitez ever stepped through the door at Stamford Bridge. The team’s blistering start was unexpected, yet they lack leaders throughout the team aside from the traditional and much-maligned ‘old guard’ and they look brittle at the back when put under any sort of pressure.
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They became the first defending champions to crash out at the first hurdle in mid-week despite hammering Nordsjaelland 6-1 at home, with the damage already done under Di Matteo and the disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Juventus proving costly. They are currently on a run of seven games without a win in the Premier League and the struggles of Fernando Torres up front refuse to go away, with the spectre of Falcao looming large. Nevertheless, the sheer amount of quality that they have within the squad should mean they are there or thereabouts by the end of the term and they always retain the ability to strengthen heavily in January should they need to, and you suspect they just might to try this route to success again in the hope of reviving a flagging campaign.
Arsenal produced a stunning comeback in form towards the back end of last season from February onwards, overhauling a huge lead that their north London rivals Tottenham had on them in the process on their way to third place, but a repeat performance looks unlikely at best at the moment. They’ve qualified for the Champions League during the past 15 consecutive seasons under Arsene Wenger, a tremendous run which he deserves credit for, but without someone like Robin van Persie to lead the line, they look short of not only confidence, but quality in several key areas and they look unlikely to extend it to 16 seasons in a row this year.
My tip for the top four this season was Tottenham and I’ll stand by that given the progress the team is currently making under Andre Villas-Boas, particularly given the sheer pace of change at the club over the past few months. While they are a flawed outfit, prone to capitulation, they look capable of stringing together a run of results more than most of their rivals for a top four spot. It’s imperative that they keep Moussa Dembele fit, though, for without him, they lack energy and conviction in the middle of the park, while they could also do with a new centre-half in January, but they finally appear to be hitting their stride and look set to make the top four for the second season running for my money.
Another team with an outside chance of making the grade is Everton, who happen to be going through their own patch of sticky form right at this minute, which has seen them draw seven of their last nine league games, winning just one. After a fantastic start, the traditional slow-starters have seemingly gone about their season in reverse and there’s a sense that they’ve failed to capitalise when the going has been good to establish themselves while others around them have floundered. They are still just three points off the pace and Tottenham in fourth place, but draws against the likes of QPR, Norwich and Wigan, not to mention the late equaliser they conceded against Fulham and their recent defeat to Reading could come back to haunt them further down the line. They are only one Marouane Fellaini injury away from their hopes being ended, and while they remain a solid, organised and increasingly attractive outfit to watch, their inability to grind out results and keep clean sheets could cost them dearly.
Their Merseyside rivals Liverpool are another team deemed with an outside chance of making the top four this season under new boss Brendan Rodgers and there’s evidence that slowly but surely they are adjusting to their new style of play with some success. They currently sit in 11th, but just seven points behind Tottenham in a tightly-congested table and their recent nine-game unbeaten run pointed to progress being made. The dampening of expectations around Anfield this summer, coupled with the fact that they are relying heavily on inexperienced youth players and are overly-reliant on Luis Suarez means they are not the best organised to make the step up required. The return of Lucas Leiva from injury should see them finish in the top eight, possibly even top six, and the club’s fans would have taken that at the start of the season; they are building towards a genuine challenge within a couple of years, but for the moment, it may have come too early for them and they need to remain realistic.
Finally, we move over to Newcastle, a side that’s failed to live up to expectations under Alan Pardew this season and one which is struggling with their own variant of second-season syndrome. With such a small squad, every injury and suspension has been keenly felt, while the lack of investment in the summer was tantamount to gross negligence; a needless tightening of the purse strings at the precise time when they needed to be loosened. The balancing act of European and Premier League football has proven too much to handle for them this season and they look set for a campaign of mid-table obscurity, which is a deeply disappointing follow-up performance to their fantastic breakthrough last year.
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If I had to stick my neck out on the line and predict the top four by May, coincidentally, it would look exactly the same as it does now, with Chelsea and Tottenham joining the sure-fire bets of United and City. The increasingly competitive nature of the top flight has made predicting the Champions League spots harder to predict than ever, with Swansea and West Brom also worthy of a mention after their early season form, but over the course of a long campaign, the teams with the most money will gradually edge ahead, with Arsenal’s decline creating the conditions for which another club can now steal a spot.
It’s far from sown up yet and Everton still stand the best shot out of all the remaining contenders if you ask me, but it’ll prove exceedingly difficult for the likes of Newcastle and Liverpool to come back after their slow starts. Clinching a top four spot is still considered the Holy Grail in England, with Arsene Wenger even ranking it above winning the League Cup, but with 23 games of the campaign left and such an open race, it promises to deliver a few twists and turns yet – the flawed nature of all the usual suspects practically guarantees it.
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Liverpool forward Fabio Borini has stated that he is confident that he will end his goal drought in the near future.
The Italy international moved to Anfield in the summer, and along with Luis Suarez is one of only two recognised forwards at the Merseyside club.
However, the diminutive attacker has not lived up to goalscoring expectations as yet, but feels that it is only a matter of time before he starts to hit the net.
“It’s just a matter of time for me. The same thing happened last season,” Borini explained to The Telegraph.
“I scored one goal before October, then got injured for three months and after that I scored my second goal in January. From January until March I scored ten goals. I know from past experience that the goals will come.
“In Swansea I scored six goals from March until May. I am always late. The position I have been playing at Liverpool has been different as well. It hasn’t been as the main striker.
“I know I have been bought to score goals but I don’t feel the pressure. I don’t need to rush my performances. I’m working hard every day in training and the goals will come. I feel good. I’ve settled in quickly and everything is going well for me. It has probably been easier for me to settle in because I’ve had so many different clubs in the last few years.
“I’ve moved a lot so I know what it needs to settle in quickly. You can’t wait for things to happen, you have to make things happen quickly for yourself,” he concluded.
Liverpool face Udinese in the Europa League on Thursday night.
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Arsenal are set to open up contract negotiations with star attacker Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain in the near future, The Sun claim.
The England international has four years left on his existing deal at the Emirates Stadium, but has made a dramatic impact since moving to north London.
The Gunners have had to watch on as Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri have forced a move away from the club in the last year of their contracts, whilst Theo Walcott is in the final 12 months of his deal and is refusing to extend for the time being.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to be rewarded for promising showings for the north Londoners with a prolonged deal and a pay increase to boot.
Arsene Wenger hopes that signing the Ox up on a new long-term contract will avoid a similar tricky situation arising in the future, and may even convince Walcott to consider a new contract with Arsenal also.
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It might seem to outsiders that Celtic’s league campaign was business as usual in Glasgow but the Hoops actually had one of the best league campaigns in Scottish football history, racking up an incredible 99 points and 102 goals. This is in contrast to last season when they only managed 79 points.
While improving on domestic league consistency was one of Neil Lennon’s stated aims at the start of the season many fans were left disappointed when Lennon’s men were dumped out of both the Scottish Cup and League Cup. The fans live in a microcosm of football where anything less than a double is frowned upon.
It was a disappointing season in Europe too after failing to recreate those special nights in 2012/13 on their way to qualifying for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages.
In this roller coaster of a season, we count down on who fired the Bhoys to glory and who left the Celtic support scratching their heads in frustration.
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21. Derk Boerrigter
Appearances (Sub): 8 (15)
Goals: 1
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 0
Derk Boerrigter arrived last Summer from Ajax as one of Neil Lennon’s key signings ahead of another tilt at the UEFA Champions League. Quoted as costing anywhere between £1m and £3m, most Celtic fans wish he’d stayed on the injury tables in Amsterdam than using the ones in Glasgow.
Having a notorious injury record in his home country, he arrived claiming to the Scottish press he was no ‘sick note’ only to be sidelined by injury a day after that interview.
Appearances were few and far between after and when he did play he didn’t look like he had much to offer the Scottish Champions domestically, never mind in Europe.
20. Amido Balde
Appearances (Sub): 3 (21)
Goals: 3
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 0
Another Summer signing last year, Amido Balde has not shown any of the promise he did in the Portuguese Primeira Liga the season prior.
The description of ‘raw’ Neil Lennon used to describe the striker on his arrival proved to be accurate, he is by no means the finished product.
Despite scoring 3 goals coming off the bench, it perhaps says it all that the highlight of his season was a goal in a Turkish friendly tournament during the Winter break. Will we see more of that or will he leave quietly in a loan deal back to Portugal?
19. Beram Kayal
Appearances (Sub): 13 (7)
Goals: 1
Yellow Cards: 3
Red Cards: 0
Once touted as the next big thing in the Celtic midfield, it’s been a few years since the Israeli truly excited the fans in the stands in Glasgow.
Struggling to cement his place in the side over the emerging Nir Biton or unnatural midfielder Charlie Mulgrew has led to speculation that this season might be his last in green and white.
If it is, he at least left with one memorable goal in the Champions League this season, his goal allowing victory over Ajax in the group stages.
18. Liam Henderson
Appearances (Sub): 4 (4)
Goals: 1
Yellow Cards: 1
Red Cards: 0
Liam Henderson would likely be much higher in this list had his cameo this season not been so late in the day. A product of Celtic’s state of the art Lennoxtown facility, the 18 year old has impressed fans and pundits North of the border even this early in his career.
His crowning moment was undoubtedly the assured finish that sent Celtic on their way to clinching the title against Partick Thistle, his first senior goal.
It’ll be interesting to see if he can lay a marker down as someone Neil Lennon can turn to on a regular basis next season. One to watch.
17. Darnell Fisher
Appearances (Sub): 10 (3)
Goals: 0
Yellow Cards: 2
Red Cards: 0
Another youth that broke through the ranks this season was 20 year old Darnell Fisher. After injuries to Mikael Lustig and Adam Matthews, Neil Lennon trusted the young Englishman enough to step up and become a starting right back.
He didn’t disappoint, his pace and eye for a cross evident in the 10 league starts he made. It’s only because of the quality of the likes of Lustig and Matthews that he didn’t feature more.
There’s been reports he’s out of contract this Summer and wherever he plays next season be it at Celtic or back in England, he definitely has a bright career ahead of him.
16. Teemu Pukki
Appearances (Sub): 16 (16)
Goals: 7
Yellow Cards: 2
Red Cards: 0
Teemu Pukki arrived from the Bundesliga last Summer as arguably Celtic’s biggest signing. The Finn has had a difficult time with glimpses of quality usually drowned out by runs of mediocre outings.
Neil Lennon has stuck with the striker though, perhaps feeling that his lack of impact this season is down to adapting to life in Scotland and a lack of confidence more than his ability.
He divides Celtic fans with many writing him off already and many thinking he’s shown enough to at least have another chance next season. It looks likely he’ll get that chance regardless of their views and there’s a good chance he can been Celtic’s most improved player next campaign.
15. Georgios Samaras
Appearances (Sub): 23 (10)
Goals: 10
Yellow Cards: 6
Red Cards: 0
Ah Georgios. The enigma. The flamboyant. The frustrating. No player in recent years has had a more interesting journey at Celtic Park than the big Greek. Once derided, then worshipped, his last season in a Celtic shirt seemed to be a summary of his previous 5.
With his contract up it seems certain he’ll leave but he managed to score on his last appearance against Dundee United. He burst into tears, the emotional moment proving that Celtic will always be in his heart and that he too will always be in the hearts of Celtic fans.
If only he was more consistent, he could have been a Celtic superstar.
14. Stefan Johansen
Appearances (Sub): 14 (3)
Goals: 2
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 0
Stefan Johansen has only been at Celtic since the end of January but has already become an integral member of the Celtic squad.
When Joe Ledley moved to Crystal Palace many worried that Celtic’s midfield would regress further after the departure of Victor Wanyama last Summer. The Norwegian eased those fears impacting with a series of man of the match performances and posing the question “Joe who?” in the minds of the Celtic fans.
If Celtic are to compete in Europe next season, Johansen will be a massive part of that. It was shrewd business to capture the Norwegian player of the year for only £2m or so. Is he the next big talent coming out of Glasgow? Time will tell.
13. Leigh Griffiths
Appearances (Sub): 11 (3)
Goals: 7
Yellow Cards: 3
Red Cards: 0
Griffiths arrived at Celtic Park in January and it’s fair to say the reaction of the fans amounted more to “Really?” than “Wow!”.
However, it was always clear the Edinburgh lad was going to bang in goals and bang them in hard.
He has proved that to be true and now looks like Celtic’s next great hope for goals after Gary Hooper moved down South.
There are serious question marks about his attitude and behaviour off the field and the greatest barrier to having a successful career in Glasgow looks to be the man himself.
If he sorts that out, there’s no stopping him.
12. Nir Biton
Appearances (Subs): 11 (9)
Goals: 0
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 1
The pick of last year’s Summer signings is this man, Israeli Nir Biton. The internationalist had a fine season in the Hoops, slotting deep into the midfield.
He didn’t find a regular position in the side until December but when he did, he made his mark, performing consistently well into February on Celtic’s long winning run in the league.
Had he not received a groin injury he probably would have made another 8-10 appearances. Regardless he looks destined to feature heavily next season and will be key in giving the side defensive steel in Europe.
11. Adam Matthews
Appearances (Sub): 26 (4)
Goals: 1
Yellow Cards: 3
Red Cards: 0
Adam Matthews is one of the best young wing backs in Britain. I’m firmly a believer that he could be a fine English Premier League player at a mid table side.
The Welshman had a frustrating season by his standards, unable to shake off niggling injuries throughout.
When he did play he excelled with excellent tackling, blistering pace and the eye for an end product. It looks likely he’s staying at Celtic for another Summer and at 22, still has plenty of time to improve and improve. If I was an English club I’d be very interested.
10. James Forrest
Appearances (Sub): 21 (6)
Goals: 7
Yellow Cards: 1
Red Cards: 0
Forrest is another player who hasn’t managed to hit the heights of his ability due to injury this season. This is something which is starting to become regular with the 22 year old and there are concerns within the Celtic support that injuries might define his Celtic career.
However, his impact this season, especially in its early stages cannot be denied. He was the man who sent Celtic into the Champions League group stages with his crucial last minute winner seeing off Shakther Karagandy in the playoffs.
Also scoring in the group stages vs Ajax, there’s no denying James Forrest still has a bright future ahead of him. Next season could be a massive one for him, can he realise the potential he’s shown for years now?
9. Mikael Lustig
Appearances (Subs): 23 (7)
Goals: 2
Yellow Cards: 2
Red Cards: 0
Mikael Lustig is a machine, a Terminator. Relentless, unstoppable, conquering. Seeing him cover Celtic’s right flank is a joy. You could spend 90 minutes watching him alone.
He would have been a player of the year contender had he not bowed out of the season in December for surgery. Up to that point he was a key player in Europe and absolutely demolishing all opponents domestically. The fact he keeps the fantastic Adam Matthews out of the team more often than not speaks volumes. Celtic are blessed to have two right backs of such quality.
He also scored a goal of the season contender away to Hearts in the Scottish Cup that was the pick of a 7 goal haul that should be youtube’d right now.
8. Charlie Mulgrew
Appearances (Subs): 37 (3)
Goals: 6
Yellow Cards: 9
Red Cards: 0
The utility man. It’s easy to overlook Charlie Mulgrew’s impact on Celtic because he performs a number of roles. This season it has been mostly in midfield. Football purists might sneer at a central defender stepping into the middle of the park but he hasn’t looked out of place.
Perhaps in Europe Celtic need a more dynamic performer, such as the previously mentioned Johansen but domestically Charlie has excelled sitting deep and spreading passes across the park.
He suits Celtic and Celtic suit him, with his set piece capability also a big danger for the opposition it looks like Neil Lennon will rely on him in years to come.
7. Emilio Izaguirre
Appearances (Subs): 46 (0)
Goals: 0
Yellow Cards: 8
Red Cards: 0
Lustig and Matthews on the right, Izaguirre on the left. He lives up to their standards and then some. The 2011 player of the year recaptured the form of his debut season in Scotland to have one of his best campaigns yet.
Skilful, intelligent and quick, he’s probably more of an asset in attack than defence. This is highlighted with 9 assists, third in the squad behind Stokes and Commons.
He recently gave an interview stressing how happy he and his family were in Glasgow so it looks like those big money moves talked about a few years ago may never come to fruition. If he keeps playing like he has this season, that’ll keep the Celtic Park faithful very happy indeed.
6. Scott Brown
Appearances (Subs): 49 (0)
Goals: 4
Yellow Cards: 8
Red Cards: 1
The captain and leader of Celtic had a fine season in the Hoops. When Brown arrived at Celtic there were some who balked at his £4m price tag, a stick used to beat him for a number of years.
It’s clear by now, at least to me, that ‘Broony’ has paid back that fee with his contributions. The making of him was becoming club captain and every year since he has improved.
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The team are noticeably sluggish and lacking without him in the team. It may be that his presence has more of an effect on the team than his ability as a footballer. This was highlighted in the Champions League campaign, his red card against Barcelona ruling him out for a number of crucial games, Celtic didn’t look like the same team.
5. Efe Ambrose
Appearances (Subs): 51 (1)
Goals: 3
Yellow Cards: 5
Red Cards: 0
Nobody made more appearances this season than the somersaulting Nigerian Efe Ambrose. This is a testament to his consistency and the partnership he has formed with the imperious Virgil van Dijk.
That’s 2 standout seasons he has had now and looks like being a fixture in the Celtic defence for years to come.
Heading to the World Cup with African champions Nigeria, he also has one of the best celebrations in football. If he scores in Brazil expect the celebration to be better than the goal.
4. Anthony Stokes
Appearances (Subs): 40 (4)
Goals: 21
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 1
When Gary Hooper left last Summer there were many wondering where the goals would come from. Anthony Stokes had a difficult year the season prior and many doubted he could step up and be counted.
He hit back with possibly his best season as a Celtic player. He matched his overall goal tally of 2011/12, 19 coming in the league, and pitched in with 11 assists.
After recently signing a new contract and with his Griffiths partnership looking tasty the next step for the Irishman is being effective in Europe. Can he bring his form onto the big stage? The jury is out on that one but with his determination you wouldn’t put it past him.
3. Fraser Forster
Appearances (Subs): 51 (0)
Goals: 0
Yellow Cards: 1
Red Cards: 0
La Gran Muralla, The Great Wall, that’s what the Spanish press call him after his exploits in the Champions League. A pretty good nickname to have as a goalkeeper and he lived up to it this season.
The big Englishman broke all sorts of records this season, ones that have stood for decades and decades. He quite literally became a part of Celtic and Scottish football history.
He eventually made it to 1,256 minutes of football without conceding when a Jonny Hayes goal, unstoppable by anyone’s standards, whistled past him up in Aberdeen.
Should Joe Hart make his inevitable mistake in Brazil (I’m Scottish OK), then England have a goalkeeper in Forster that is ready to take on the best and excel, he’s done it already many times.
Will he move on this Summer? It seems likely. If he does he’s leaving big boots to fill both in size and stature.
2. Virgil van Dijk
Appearances (Subs): 45 (2)
Goals: 5
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 1
The credit for Celtic’s clean sheet record this season can’t all go to Forster. This man arguably had as big a part to play.
The Hoops waited near on a decade for a player as good as this in the centre of defence. It’s a position that eluded Celtic scouts for years until they found Ambrose and then they found van Dijk.
Strong, confident, skilful, strong, strong, strong. There’s no getting away that van Dijk is destined for leagues bigger than the Scottish Premiership. He scores goals too… volleys, headers, free kicks.
Need I go on? He is the best footballer in Scotland by a distance, but one man had a bigger part to play this season…
1. Kris Commons
Appearances (Subs): 44 (4)
Goals: 32
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 0
Kris Commons had his best season as a Celtic player, his best season as a footballer and likely one which will never be repeated in his career such was its standard.
Scoring an incredible 32 goals from midfield is the marquee stat that highlights that. It doesn’t tell the whole story though because he created and contributed to a lot more of Celtic’s goals and generally was the man that kept the Hoops ticking all year.
Yes Stokes hit 21 but it was Commons who filled the considerable hole left by Gary Hooper. His goal against Karagandy in the Champions League playoff was voted goal of the season by the Celtic fans and he picked up the club and the PFA Player Of The Year awards.
He’s an incredible performer and one again who is vital if Celtic can become competitive in Europe again. Can Celtic use him in the right way that allows him to bang them in against top level opposition?
Arsene Wenger has stated that he is relaxed over his transfer strategy and feels that his squad is strong enough to compete for silverware this season.
The Gunners have added Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud to their squad this summer, but have lost Robin van Persie and Alex Song.
The French coach is expected to potentially dip into the market on the last day of the transfer window, but Wenger is happy with how things have panned out for the north London side.
“I am relaxed. We have enough players, that is for sure, but you want always to improve your squad,” The Telegraph report Wenger as saying.
“We have resources available so if it is not happening now it will happen in December. But we believe strongly that we have the quality in our squad to do very well.
“We bought Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud so you cannot say we have not bought but, when you listen to people, you always have to buy more.
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“Getting our injured players back is the best way for us to strengthen the squad. We do not just want to bring average players in. Spending in itself is not a quality. Buying good players is a quality, better players than you have is a quality,” he concluded.
The company who are proposing to take over Leeds say they have almost completed negotiations with the club.
The investment bank Gulf Finance House (GFH), who are based in Bahrain, say they are hopeful they will seal the deal within three weeks.
David Haigh, GFH Capital’s deputy chief executive officer and chief operating officer has explained the current state of the process to the Sun. He described the club as “a young Pamela Anderson”, saying, “It’s in great shape with superb assets and a great future ahead of her.”
“Like any big acquisition we have to be thorough and that’s the process we’re going through right now. We’re almost there and, hopefully, within three weeks it could be done . We are working incredibly hard to get the deal done but there are procedures and rules which must be followed.”
GFH started negotiations with Leeds chairman Ken Bates in June. The chief executive of GFH, Hisham Alrayes said: “We are excited by our intentions for Leeds United and remain fully focused on the specifics of this deal, hoping to conclude a positive outcome as soon as possible.”
In an official statement from GFH, they make it clear that taking Leeds from the Championship back into the Premier League is a priority for them, saying they want to do this “as quickly as possible.”
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Last month, the Leeds United Supporters Trust welcomed news of a possible takeover at Elland Road.