I have a few things to get off my chest, a kind of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly from the World of Celtic over the last day or two.
Let’s start with the good, indeed the very good. The downright brilliant. Scott Sinclair has had the final year of his contract activated and will now spend a 4th season with the Hoops. Pretty sure The Celtic Star put the story straight on this one many moons ago (just saying).
Nonetheless it was all confirmed from the horse’s mouth at Neil Lennon’s press conference on Celtic TV earlier today – watch below (1 min 50 secs to hear Lenny talking about Scott Sinclair).
Now I know there was a wee bit of healthy debate and discussion as to the merits to this on Celtic Noise forum a few days ago, and if that was anything to go by its possible there is a split among the Celtic support, but it’s a decision for me that no-one had to expend any real mental energy in making.
Scott Sinclair has simply been a brilliant signing for the club and would cost a rocking fortune to find a good enough replacement. A 4th year makes perfect sense. 3 League Cups, 2 Scottish Cups (so far) and 2 League titles as well as being ever so close to a 3rd are the lad’s team honours.
He’s also won the Player of the Years and been named in the Team of the Year in his first season. Scott has made 156 appearances, scored 60 goals and contributed 34 assists, it beggars belief that we actually do debate this.
But for the sake of balance there are arguments against.
Scott has possibly dropped off a bit when you consider that first season and the consistency of performances since. Things that were coming off for him seem at times not to happen as consistently as they did. He looks like he’s not quite got quite the same level of belief in himself to go and have the impact in games we know he can.
But.
That first season was a freak. He arrived bereft of confidence and jumped off the bench at Tynecastle to score the winning goal on debut (roughly 30 minutes after signing!) and received an injection of confidence that drew him out his shell and propelled him and Celtic towards that first treble.
Like a dog off the leash he wagged his tail around every footballing outpost the Celts went to play and pee-ed at every corner flag en-route. It is simply not reasonable to expect as Neil Lennon called it ‘a stellar season’ to continue over the course of a further 2 seasons.
His stats are a match for anyone bar James Forrest this season and with only Odsonne Edouard breaking the 20, we need goals throughout the team. In fact it’s been the making of Celts success over the last 3 years in particular that guys like Sinclair, Forrest, Rogic and Christie do hit the net so regularly and the pressure isn’t so much levied on the strikers.
Anyone really notice Dembele had gone this season? OK maybe a tiny, little bit, but it’s stats like Sinclair’s that soften the blow. Let’s not forget he is actually a wide player, it is kind of expected in the game that if you play wide, inconsistency comes with it. You are not going to influence games as much from the periphery as you would through the middle, you are reliant on being fed in the first place so you can start your own work.
Add to that the obvious business sense. Were we really going to let him go on a free when we have the option of the extra year? No chance, Big Pete is too hot on the balance sheet to comprehend that happening. Heated Driveways don’t buy themselves.
With Middlesbrough apparently testing the waters and no doubt other sides waiting to see how it progressed we made a sensible choice both financially and from a football perspective. If someone does want him and we for some reason are willing to sell, he’ll now warrant a decent fee.
Scott Sinclair already knows it all, he’s been through the early Champions league qualifiers he’s a proven winner, and he’s loaded with experience that he can pass on to the likes of Mikey Johnston waiting in the wings.
I’m glad he’s here for the 9. I hope he sees out the 10.
Now for the Bad. How on earth did Kristoffer Ajer not make the shortlist for Young Player of the year?
Surely just for that celebration as he stopped Joe Worral scoring at Celtic Park against the Rangers with a breath-taking last ditch tackle? Okay not just for that.
Kristoffer Ajer's domestic stats this season.
SPFL
P25 W19 D5 L1 F52 A7SLC
P3 W3 D0 L0 F7 A1SC
P3 W3 D0 L0 F10 A0Total
P31 W25 D5 L1 F69 A8Played in one defeat this season.
24 clean sheets in 31 domestic matches.
1 medal won. 2 pending.
There's yer Young POTY. pic.twitter.com/hKvAEeDBS9
— Celtic F1rst (@CelticF1rst) May 1, 2019
He has played 41 times in a back 4 who have been virtually unbreakable since January. Positionally there aren’t many defenders at all never mind ones at 21 years of age as good. He reads the game immaculately.
He breaks the lines with his ball carrying and he’s quick on the recovery when mistakes do occur. He is fearless in the tackle and wonderful in the air. He’s improved with every passing week. Neil Lennon takes about his surprise omission in today’s Media Conference which you can watch above.
We also have to remember Kristoffer has just recently been converted from a midfielder. He’s only really been playing this position since he was 19. He’s now capped 8 times for his Country and is indeed looking a first pick for Norway.
That’s what you call a breakthrough season, that’s what you call young player of the year material.
Now I understand there can only be 4 players.
Lewis Ferguson I get. Great footballer, always on the team sheet, improving with every game contributes massively to Aberdeen with goals assists and his combative nature was there for all to see against Celtic at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final. Ouch!
Same with David Turnbull at Motherwell. Regular, impacts games, looks a brilliant prospect, signed a new contract, looks a player destined for the English top flight (or Celtic).
But the last one Jake Hastie also from Motherwell. He’s shown flashes of ability, and yes he could well be the real deal, but over the course of this season has he actually impacted his team or the league as much as Ajer?
He started the first half of the season on loan to Alloa and scored 4 in 23 games. He’s only actually played the grand total of 14 games for Motherwell and although he’s scored 7 goals is that enough to come out ahead of Ajer?
The young Celtic supporter Jake Hastie is only a year younger than Ajer and has a solitary under 21 cap to his name for Scotland. There is no comparison.
At least with Turnbull you could see him at an Everton or Newcastle before long. Jake Hastie on the other hand has had to settle for a pre-contract with Scotland’s newest club. Ah so maybe that’s why!
Come on. This this is an injustice.
Our own Stephen McManus was asked and the only reason he could give was that people wouldn’t really think Kris Ajer was a young player. Diplomatic approach at answering. I think what he really meant to say was ‘aye and what about Hastie, what’s that all about?’ It’s a simple travesty.
And finally I move to the Ugly.
I’ll keep this brief and simple. See that new kit, the so-called Hoops? It is rank rotten.
I’ll have a 4 year old no doubt asking me to buy that and I’ll no doubt have to just for the peace and I’ll have to see it every day. Maybe I’ll just get used to it.
I’ll be looking backwards and purchasing something a bit more retro.
Possibly another Lisbon shirt given everything that’s happened over the last week has made me a bit nostalgic, and the fact my current one is looking a bit tired these days (and possibly a bit tight!)
Also it is actually Hoops.
Niall J
The Celtic Star ran a Poll last night on the new Celtic kit for next season – you can vote below on what you think of the new ‘Hoops’ strip and also check the results so far below…
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