CELTIC: Bring On The Hearts, The Hibs And The Rangers

As it was well documented by the tabloids Celtic did not have the happiest times on the money making trips abroad. In short Poland: 2 games 2 defeats. America: 3 games 1 defeat and 2 draws. Japan: 1 game-1defeat. The trip to Poland was more of a goodbye to the fans by Majic Zurawskii and Arthur Boruc more than anything however 2 poor performances by a not so much under strength Hoops team.

The States where many ex pats and distant Celts are now based were licking their lips at seeing their heroes in the flesh were quickly demolished by what was no more than a hiding by DC united team well into their season, the 4-0 scoreline was no more than Celtic deserved. 2 more games, a slight improvement, still no win.

In the land of the rising sun. if anyone was in any doubt how much of a impact Shunsuki Nakamura has made on Celtic the sell out crowd of screaming fans all in hooped jerseys enjoyed Celtic going down again to a J-league team who were sitting pretty at the top of the up and coming J-League.

Back at home Rangers were under the new management of Paul Le Guen, who came with a outstanding pedigree with Lyon, taking them to the dizzy heights of Champion?s League semi finals. Le Guen was going about his business very quietly bringing in a couple of young French midfielders. The big issue was when was he going to spend the millions that were put aside from last year and was rather crudely taken away from Alex McLeish. From sources within, the money coming in from the JJB deal and the lack of transfer activity over the previous season meant that a mighty war chest was going to be available to the Frenchman who had unearthed talents such as Govou, Malouda, Diarra. Surely the good times would not be far away for the Gers again.

Hearts, under the Dictatorship of superpower Vladimir Romanov, the former submariner and Latvian banker, were flying after splitting the Old Firm and claiming the Scottish Cup while going through 3 different managers in one season.
The new manager Valdas Ivanauskas had the issue of sorting out the unnecessary mess you usually find after a New Year party you have thrown and invited all the neighbours, the whole office, their neighbours and their immediate family. Hearts had half of FC Kaunas on loan and a number of other foreign national on their books so something had to give, in the end they lost 15 players in total and got another 9 in, 3 on loan and 6 for mainly undisclosed fees.

Hibs had been very quiet in the transfer market due to lack of funds and the fact that the previous season their very young squad had been praised for passing teams off the pitch and living up to the never say die attitude.

As the transfer window trundled along Celtic and Rangers were going through the usual processes of being linked to every player that was having any club disputes or at the end of their career. The most comical of all was the story of Zinedine Zidane coming to finish his career at Ibrox, yes you did just read right, ZZ arguably one of the most gifted midfielders of our generation, the guy who makes football look like a art form finishing off his trophy laden career at Ibrox. Priceless and only in Scotland ladies and gentlemen.

Now we get to today, the transfer window is creaking closed and the season has started. Both the Edinburgh clubs have purchased a few journeymen not really worth mentioning. Rangers have taken on the talent of Clement from Lyon and the two promising youngsters Lee Miller Martin and Phil Bardsley, Libor Sidoko who appeared in the World Cup for the Czech Republic as a sub, the stalky Filip Sebo and Sasa Papic, taking their signings from Austria Vienna to three.

Celtic started slowly in the transfer market which was surprising considering Gordon Strachan said he wanted his signings done before the world cup. First in the Door came the Bosmans of Scotland striker Kenny Miller closely followed by Hibs captain Garry Caldwell. Next in was the giant Czech midlfielder Jari Jarosek who had the previous season been purchased from CSKA by the great one himself Jose Mourinho, Jarosik spent most of his time on loan and Birmingham City before Celtic took him to Parkhead for 2 million. Surely the biggest signing of the season was to follow for the Hoops when one of the biggest names in football (by length anyway) singed on in the shape of Dutch striker Jan Vennegor de Hesselink, along with Wolves fullback Lee Naylor who has a wealth of experience in the English Championship. The last, and by no means least, signing was the powerful midfielder Thomas Graveson Gravesen who struggled to find a place among the Galacticos of Real Madrid but is a real signing coup for Celtic and proof that the biscuit tin may have moved across the city.

All four clubs have started reasonably well with Celtic topping the table after losing one to the rejuvenated Hearts and winning all other games. Rangers are creating lots of chances with their games but are lacking the killer touch of an out and out goalscorer. Two things must be worrying the Rangers fans:

1. Why is Kris Boyd (last year?s top scorer for 2 different teams) not playing regularly?
2. Where is the money that was promised to Alex McLeish?

There is a rumbling coming from the depths of Ibrox that Kris Boyd will not hang around long enough to find out why Monsieur Le Guen does not see fit to play him week in week out when he is clearly head and shoulders above the rest in the goal-scoring ability. And if the money is not available in the transfer market to replace Boyd will the Ibrox faithful be happy at losing their most prolific goalscorer with no replacement.

One thing is sure, the champions of last year, Celtic, have stolen some ground in the first battle of transfer dealings with two major signings. I, for one, hope that this does not mean a one horse race in the title battle as last years battles between the top three where the most exciting Scottish football has been in the last decade.