Glasgow Celtic Supporters Thread

[noelyf]

Celtic sign Rabiu Ibrahim



By: Laura Brannan on 18 Jan, 2012 17:39

CELTIC are delighted to announce the signing of Rabiu Ibrahim, subject to the successful completion of a work permit application which will be heard early next week.

The former PSV attacking midfielder will join the club on a three and a half year deal after impressing Neil Lennon on a recent trial.

The 20-year-old Nigerian is a highly rated playmaker and made an impact in a bounce match against St Johnstone at the start of the year when he played 60 minutes of the 3-2 victory.

The Celtic manager is delighted to have secured the deal. He exclusively told the official website: “We have been very impressed by Rabiu. In my view he is a highly talented and exciting young player and someone who will be a tremendous addition to our squad.

“He is a playmaker, well balanced and a very intelligent footballer. We are really looking forward to him joining us.”

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Delight as Pawel Brozek joins Celtic



By: Mark Henderson on 30 Jan, 2012

CELTIC are delighted to confirm that Polish internationalist Pawel Brozek has joined the club on loan from Trabzonspor until the end of the season, with Celtic having the option to make the move a permanent one.

The 28-year-old striker is another top-quality addition to Neil Lennon´s squad during this transfer window and will provide additional fire-power to the Hoops.

Pawel´s fellow countryman, Jaroslaw Fojut has signed a pre-contract agreement with the club and will move to Celtic Park in the summer, while Swedish internationalist Mikael Lustig and highly-rated Nigerian playmaker, Rabiu Ibrahim are already part of the first-team squad.

Speaking exclusively to the official Celtic website after completing his move to the Hoops, Pawel said: "I’m very happy because Celtic were very determined to sign me and it didn’t take a long time. I spoke with Lukasz Zaluska and Maciej Zurawski and they said only positive things about the club. So when I heard there was an offer from Celtic I wanted to go straight away.

“They said the fans are fantastic here, the top organisation of the club, and the great name the club has in the world. It’s all happened very quickly. It was a really nice surprise because it’s a big club and a big name in Europe.

"It’s a very nice city and a great place to play football. And there is a very good manager and coach. The team is very good and there are excellent training facilities.

“I knew before I signed about the club’s history, and the kind of pressure to win every game and the championship, so the history, the fans and the team and the determination of the club to bring me here were all reasons why I came.

“It’s also important that we have won so many games in the last couple of months and there are also plenty of chances to score. But I don’t like to speak about myself. I would rather show what I can do on the park and will try to do the best I can for the club."

The Polish internationalist will be officially unveiled at a media conference tomorrow.

[noelyf]

The Green Brigades chant for big Victor Wanyama \0/ - Courtesy of DaveLeckie HH.

[noelyf]

Inverness CT 0 - 2 Celtic





Samaras opened the scoring for Celtic in the 33rd minute









By Martin Conaghan BBC Scotland



Celtic progressed to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup with a comfortable win away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.


An angled strike from Georgios Samaras opened the scoring in the 33rd minute.


David Proctor brought down Gary Hooper inside the Inverness penalty area with 67 minutes played and Celtic captain Scott Brown converted from the spot.


Inverness substitute Claude Gnakpa fired in a hopeful effort in the dying minutes that drifted over the bar.


The win is Celtic's third against Inverness in the Scottish Cup, with the Highland side having won two of the previous encounters.


Caley boss Terry Butcher replaced goalkeeper Ryan Esson with Jonny Tuffey and brought in midfielder Graeme Shinnie for Shane Sutherland.


Celtic manager Neil Lennon made four changes with Adam Matthews, Kelvin Wilson and Samaras in - along with a rare start for Kris Commons - while Cha Du-ri and Emilio Izaguirre were dropped and James Forrest and Anthony Stokes started on the bench.


Some hearty challenges in the opening stages gave way to a half-chance for Hooper in the sixth minute when he controlled a long ball in the Inverness penalty area but couldn't find a way through towards goal under pressure.


The first real chance of the match fell to Nick Ross on the edge of the Celtic penalty area in the 24th minute when he fired low towards the bottom left, but keeper Fraser Forster was at full stretch to turn it around the post.



Moments later, Commons was presented with a golden opportunity when Hooper fed through a pass inside the Inverness penalty area, but the Scotland international mis-timed his shot and stumbled over the ball.


A low shot from Hooper as the half-hour mark approached was smothered by Tuffey, before Samaras thundered an swerving drive high past the Northern Irishman to put the visitors into the lead.


Ross Tokely almost caused a second goal when he fumbled a back-pass that Hooper intercepted, but Tuffey was on-hand to clear the danger.


A poor free-kick from Greg Tansey sailed over the Celtic bar as half-time approached, then a Tokely header failed to find the target from a Jonny Hayes corner.


Shortly after the restart, Samaras forced a corner after a powering run down the right-hand side, but Tansey headed clear and Charlie Mulgrew's cross on the rebound was deflected wide.


Moments later, Samaras and Joe Ledley rushed for the same ball on the six-yard line and a chance to double the lead went over the Inverness crossbar.


The big Greece striker was inches shy of his second of the day as the hour-mark approached, stretching to reach a Ledley pass on the six-yard line that bobbled across the face of goal.


Andrew Shinnie tried with an effort from distance that was deflected out for a corner during a decent spell of pressure for the hosts.


In the 67th minute, Proctor brought down Hooper inside the penalty area with a clumsy challenge from behind and referee Murray immediately pointed to the spot. Brown stepped up and sent keeper Tuffey the wrong way to extend Celtic's lead.


Forster's complacency with a clearance was almost punished by Richie Foran, but the big Englishman recovered to keep his pride intact, then substitute Forrest sprinted through the Inverness defence and fired in a shot that failed to find the back of the net.


With five minutes remaining, Inverness began to to look tired as the visitors pressed for a third.


Gnakpa's long-range injury-time effort sailed wildly over the bar and Anthony Stokes made a late appearance in place of Hooper, but further firepower up front was unrequired as Celtic eased through to the last eight.
Lineup, Bookings (1) & Substitutions (6)


Inverness Caledonian Thistle

• 12 Tuffey
• 03 Tokely
• 14 Proctor Booked
• 19 Shinnie
• 22 Gillet
• 26 Meekings
• 07 Hayes (Winnall - 74' )
• 08 Tansey
• 09 Foran
• 11 Ross (Gnakpa - 61' )
• 15 Tade (Sutherland - 61' )

Substitutes

• 01 Esson
• 25 Gnakpa
• 02 Piermayr
• 18 Sutherland
• 20 Winnall

Celtic

• 01 Forster
• 06 Wilson
• 21 Mulgrew
• 25 Rogne
• 02 Matthews
• 08 Brown
• 16 Ledley (Twardzik - 90' )
• 67 Wanyama
• 09 Samaras
• 15 Commons (Forrest - 62' )
• 88 Hooper (Stokes - 82' )

Substitutes

• 24 Zaluska
• 05 Majstorovic
• 56 Twardzik
• 10 Stokes
• 49 Forrest

Ref: Murray
Att: 5,743

BBC Sport

[noelyf]

Why Ra**ers should not be saved









We are starting to witness the end of Rangers FC and the beginning of a campaign by the media and football bodies in Scotland to allow a new company to immediately join the SPL in the event that Rangers go into liquidation.

The argument seems to be that every other club would loose money and our TV deal with various companies would die. I beg to differ. With the collapse of this poor TV deal the other SPL clubs could either form SPL TV or allow clubs to sell their TV and other broadcast rights individually. This is a new communications era so there are plenty of outlets available to get your product out there and for it to generate better money than clubs are already earning. It just requires a bit of imagination and reorganisation.
This could actually bring about a renaissance in Scottish football. If we get the media deals right and clubs adopt sustainable business models which will have to rely heavily on growing our own youth players then the future is bright. This can all be achieved without Rangers being part of the SPL for a few years. I’ve nothing against a new Rangers forming and working their way through the leagues and returning to the SPL. I think it is really important to the integrity of Scottish football that things pan out this way if Rangers do become extinct.
I also so see it as a benefit to Scottish society as a whole if this current Rangers go to the wall. Below is a list of what RFC have brought to Scottish football and Scottish society in general. Some of the points may seem harsh but they are sadly fact.

This is a club that have gave Scottish football the following:

• Operating a sectarian signing policy for most of their existence.
  
• No Apology to the RC community in Scotland for that policy.
• Alleged Financial doping.
• Alleged Tax scams.
• Causing the near collapse of Scottish football by spending money they did not have and forcing other clubs into the same situation.
• A support that is a constant embarrassment when travelling outside Scotland.
• Campaigns of hatred and terror by their fans which could have ended in maiming or loss of life.
• Acting like a Unionist political institution rather than a football club.

As I said harsh but true. Now here are the positives if this club go to the wall and return to division 3.

• An major blow to sectarianism in Scottish football
  
• Bigger pool of young players available to clubs
• A chance to properly re-evaluate business models in Scottish football including: Tighter financial controls to help clubs become sustainable, More scrutiny of transfer spending as a proportion to turnover, Limits on debt as a proportion of turnover.
• More sustainable youth development.
• Better chances of smaller clubs to play in Europe
• Other SPL clubs will have a chance to earn more money by finishing further up the league
• Higher attendances for other clubs
• The end of the Old Firm tag
• A new start for Scottish football with no sectarian element or agenda
• A far more competitive SPL
• A boost to the 3^rd division (joke)

So over the next few months you will be fed a line by the Scottish media and footballing bodies that catastrophe awaits us all if Rangers die and a Rangers New co are not allowed into the SPL at the expense of a first division club. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s the only way to go. We urge Celtic fans who believe their is a better way forward to engage with other SPL fans and ask them to consider the merits of SPL life without RFC. If they feel that it is better for the long term that a Rangers new co should start from the bottom division they should put pressure on their boards not to allow a new company into the SPL.

Source : The Celtic Network

[hotguy]

HAHAHA Some cracking pics there .....

[noelyf]

The Huns Are Going Bust!!

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