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Craig Burley; does he have a point?
Topic Started: Nov 1 2008, 10:58 PM (375 Views)
desachi
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Quote:
 
Sunday Times


Time for Shunsuke Nakamura to leave Gordon Strachan’s limited Celtic

Craig Burley

It is time for new ideas, for Celtic to freshen up, and for the board to invest and try to improve the quality of the team 

HOW MANY of the current Celtic team would make the Manchester United one they meet next Wednesday? Zero. Nobody could play in this United side, but it is more than that. A more serious question is how many of those same Celtic players are even English Premier League quality? Perhaps the goalkeeper, Artur Boruc, could be if he got his head right. Scott Brown, if he continues to sort himself out. The jury is still out on Aiden McGeady. Apart from that, none, and I am talking mid-table mediocrity teams not the top ones. The fact is there is no-one at Celtic who the big teams in England are sniffing around.

Celtic have moved backwards since they beat United at Parkhead two seasons ago. We are not really talking about a Battle of Britain in midweek. Manchester United against Celtic is the equivalent of United playing Blackburn, a mid-table English team. Some people have said Celtic did quite well at Old Trafford, but only in terms of containment, nothing more. The best case scenario in midweek is they repeat the kind of smash and grab of 2006 when Shunsuke Nakamura’s free-kick claimed a 1-0 home victory.

I listened to Strachan saying, after the 3-0 Old Trafford defeat, it was the greatest performance from any team they have played against in Europe. A load of nonsense. United by their standards were average. I have watched them a lot, and if they had played against Celtic the way they did against West Brom a few days earlier they would have got five or six. Strachan has talked up the opposition to camouflage his own team’s failings. Celtic fans are pulling the wool over their eyes if they think otherwise. It is accepted by certain people that containing United is a decent evening. If that is where the club is at, if that is the limit of their ambition, then it is a sorry day.

This Celtic team is limited. They have not got a Lubomir Moravcik who can do something different. They have not got a Henrik Larsson who they can go to when in trouble. They have not even got a great leader in the side. They are not quite a team of journeymen, but they are average at best. They hustled their way to the last 16 of the Champions League last season, but that papered over the cracks in a big way. There is a real lack of quality.

Nakamura typifies this. A hero to some, but a second-rate one compared to those who have preceded him at Celtic. When he was sold by Reggina in Italy, it was because he couldn’t produce over there. I have not seen too many clubs in England or Spain looking to pluck him out of the SPL. He has produced some magic moments, and people will talk about his free-kicks, but the game is about 90 minutes. I have looked at him in the big games and he is no more than okay. Being okay is not good enough.

Nakamura is very peripheral. He doesn’t do enough when the chips are down. If the money is right for Celtic in January from Yokohama Marinos in Japan, they should take it and move on. Losing him would not be a major drama. He is a flat-track bully, only performing against the weaker teams. Now and again he strikes a good free-kick, but so what? Whenever I see him in the Champions League or against Rangers, more often than not he underperforms.

McGeady has more ability, but he is getting bogged down trying to do too much as he thinks he has to overimpress his manager. The lad is overcomplicating things. Maloney had a shot with Aston Villa, but didn’t settle. There is more to playing in England than having the ability. You have got to have the physical presence to go with it, the mentality. Too many come down south and say they are homesick. It is a 40-minute flight.

The bottom line is not enough of them are capable of playing at a sustained level week in, week out. That is the question mark over McGeady and Brown. You look at those two and think they have half a chance of making it, but only that. They would not grab the English game by the scruff of the neck and say, ‘I’m the guy’.

These players seem to be happy with their lot. They have won the SPL against a very ordinary Rangers team. Strachan has done a good job, but his timing has been impeccable. He has got the best out of certain players, but that is wearing a bit thin now. He gives the impression of somebody who doesn’t really want to be there. The criticism irks him, the spotlight irks him, and not having the money to spend that he thinks he should have irks him, too. It is only a matter of time before he goes.

It is time for new ideas, for Celtic to freshen it up, even with a new manager, and for the board to invest and try to improve the quality. Celtic have enough of that to keep ahead of most in the SPL, but it won’t take them further. Something has to change for that to happen.



Lifted from the Sunday papers (cheers Jinty :thumbs.up: )

So....

does the man have a point.... or...... is he just another sellout fud who has leveraged his past with us to shoot his mouth off and be just about as derogatory as he possibly can... (son)?

Personally, he has a point that we are lacking in quality, fair enough, but, I think he is far too harsh.

What is it about ex-pat former Celts or Scots running down the club every chance they get. Do they not realise that it comes across as slavish as can possibly be, and thoroughly alienates those that would be more inclined to listen to his point of view given his playing history?

Thank you John Barnes for removing this fud from the corridors of Celtic Park. :clap:
In the nation of the blind the one eyed man is king.

All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing

HWEUCSC & Chicago CSC

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Henke
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I really hate this hun bastard. Hate him more than any other ex- *spits* Celt.

The only thing he was right about is that the board have to invest, but then there are Bushman of the Kalahari who are aware of this. Hardly an insightful observation. That and yes, we have gone backwards since the last time we played Manure. I'll give him that.

That and his final paragraph. But again, hardly a major revelation. :rolleyes:

He is however, wrong about none of our players getting into the Manure side. I take his point, but Artur Boruc would walk into that side. I have no doubt too that Fergie would be more than happy to have Aiden at his club.

He also conveniently fails to mention when comparing us to Manure, that their team is worth probably 20 times more than our team. And while that doesn't mean we can't compete with them, as we have proved in the past, that fact cannot be dismissed or ignored.

His opinion on Nakamura is ridiculous too. He will go down in history as one of the most technically gifted players ever to play for Celtic. And of course there have been games where he has been quiet. What player doesn't have games like that? The fact remains though, that he has contributed to the Celtic cause time and time again, and if it weren't for him, we wouldn't have won half the trophies we have in recent years. Nor would we have beaten, yeas that's right, BEATEN, Manure the last time they came to Parkhead.

And he is 100 times the player Craig Burley ever was. :rolleyes:

Also amusing to hear him criticise the likes of Maloney for not settling down south, ir indeed the likes of Aiden and Brown for not being good enough for down there. This coming from a guy who was a Chelsea reserve for about 5 seasons, despite Chelsea being shite at the time.

As for why ex-celts behave like this, well, it all comes down to not wanting to be perceived as bias. However, in the case of Burley, he is just a very, very bitter Hun.

Whereas guys like BFDJ and Mark Hately who incidentally is looking more and more like an Aids victim, will happily appear as impartial media commentators with the Rangers club tie and blazer on. :rolleyes: But then that is Bonnie Scotland for you.
In every hick town in Caledonia

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Where a blue McEwan's lager top equals no imagination

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If you're having cash problems I feel bad for you hun
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melbournebhoy
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couldnt disagree with anything henke said about burley as a player and a person.

unfortunately couldnt disagree with anything that burley actually said
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blair7-1
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He forgets to say that in comparison, Naka has loved playing for Celtic, while Ronaldo especially and others play for the dollar.

Take his argument on board, but apart from Chelski, and Man Utd, I think Brown, Aiden, Boruc, Samaras, Jan, McDonald, Hartley, Naka, McManus, Caldwell etc would walk into any other EPL team.
Mediocrity is rife in England personified by an Arsenal team that has just lost to Stoke !

ffs, for Hull City, see ICT and for Stoke, see Falkirk! :D

Burley has never been right since he was shown the door, although I do feel he played well for us and can`t condemn him for his displays in a hooped shirt.
I`m not biased. I don`t care who beats Rangers

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buckfasthero
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Quote:
 
I think Brown, Aiden, Boruc, Samaras, Jan, McDonald, Hartley, Naka, McManus, Caldwell etc would walk into any other EPL team.
:hmmm:
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Henke
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Personally think Hartley's done. His legs have seriously gone. Perhaps could have played down there 4-5 years ago, but I doubt it now. Which makes his signing as baffling now as it was at the time.

Heid could probably carve out a career in a lower level EPL side, one destined for relegation and I hope he achieves that sooner rather than later.

Also think McDonald would struggle down there too. Big time. Have my doubts too about McManus.

I think Artur, Naka, Brown, Maloney, Aiden, Samaras and perhaps Hinkel. And that's yer whack.
In every hick town in Caledonia

Across this pseudo nation

You can see the most fucked up scum that was ever shat into creation

Where a blue McEwan's lager top equals no imagination

You're hunbelievable



If you're having cash problems I feel bad for you hun
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melbournebhoy
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I think Artur, Naka, Brown, Maloney, Aiden, Samaras and perhaps Hinkel. And that's yer whack

Artur definitely. In The Fifa squad with der saar picked out by the 'experts' (well at least they are neutral)

Samaras didnt cut it At Man City

Shaun likewise at Villa

Hinkel??? struggling to be first choice for us

Naka too old now. Brown maybe if Newcastle had pursued their interest

Aiden I fear is a one trick pony

The gist of the article that we have

no leadership on the field

and no super stars

is unfortunately accurate

Does MacManus stand comparison with McNeil or Aitken?

Anyone with Dalglish/Larsson/Johnstone/McGrain?
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Henke
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The guys I mentioned, barring Artur, may not be good enough for the top four, but I have no doubt they would be capable of playing regularly in the EPL. Maybe not for a Manure, but there are plenty of other EPL clubs they could cut it at.

Samaras maybe didn't cut it at Man City, but that doesn't mean a different club would have seen him hit form. As for Maloney, he was actually very popular with the AV fans and many of them didn't want to see him go. If he had stuck it out, he could have made it easily.

Burley is right about the lack of leadership, superstars and the need for investment. But none of that is a revelation. And as such the article is a total waste of time, other than giving bitterman a vehicle to vent his spleen about Celtic.

He is a Hun kant!
In every hick town in Caledonia

Across this pseudo nation

You can see the most fucked up scum that was ever shat into creation

Where a blue McEwan's lager top equals no imagination

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If you're having cash problems I feel bad for you hun
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desachi
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I don't see why any of Brown, McGeady, Samaras, Maloney et al couldn't make it in the EPL. All have plenty of time on their side. Fair enough two didn't have the best of times down south, but I would think that was more to do with other circumstances. Artur would walk into any of the top teams in the EPL and to me, there is no question that Naka would play there with ease. The Scottish game is much much faster and Naka has had to deal with that as well. No problems for Hinkel either. He will be excellent once he catches a grip of the pace of our game as well, I would have thought.

The EPL is chock full of dross, dressed up in shining armour, a perfect example of the power of marketing. Sadly, many people fall for it. Outside of the top teams (who are a cut above thanks to their managers and having 2-3 excellent players at the core of their sides as well as options in the squad) sides in the EPL have players who are happy to settle for mid table obscurity, such are the financial lures.

The Scottish game is the biggest victim of the rise of the EPL thanks to the EPL being chock full of players from other parts of the world and the contempt the Ingerlish have for all matters Tartan. Craig Burley typifies the mindset that has completely sold out and will willingly go home to continue this way of thinking. Sadly, we have some of that "we are much poorer" thinking at Celtic as well. Guess what? Celtic have always suffered from this. Didn't stop us being the first non-Latin club to win the European Cup. It isn't just about money, but about the will to win, and prove oneself and wear the shirt with pride, irrespective of what obstacles stand in the way.
In the nation of the blind the one eyed man is king.

All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing

HWEUCSC & Chicago CSC

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Roseanne
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The only point Hurley Burley (so called because I hurl whenever I look at his ugly face! - OK I lied about that, it just came into my head to call him that but, really, it is quite an apt nickname! :D) has is right on the tip of his nose. :wtf?:

Can't stand the odious wee turd. :puke: The day he does anything seriously good in football management, he can tell us what players to sell and be taken seriously. :yikes: Odious prick of a man. :angry:

Put it this way any of Brown, McGeady, Samaras, Maloney etc could make it in the EPL, put it this way they'd have a better chance than Hurley Burley who was born a nobody and will die a nobody! :fight:

HAIL HAIL
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Doc67
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sometimes the truth hurts folks!!




Good to be back!
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Henke
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Doc67
Nov 3 2008, 07:10 AM
sometimes the truth hurts folks!!

Of course it does Doc. However, Burley's revelations, were hardly that and they were hardly worthy any column inches.

Plus, he's a bitter cunt. :D
In every hick town in Caledonia

Across this pseudo nation

You can see the most fucked up scum that was ever shat into creation

Where a blue McEwan's lager top equals no imagination

You're hunbelievable



If you're having cash problems I feel bad for you hun
I've got 99 problems but tax ain't one
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Mainser
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Difficult to disagree with the general thrust of his article - most of us have said similar in the past, the language used is more sensational than perhaps we would use but that's just to sell papers. Having said that there are only half a dozen very good teams in the EPL, as others have said, there is plenty of dross there too.
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desachi
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We definitely have had a lack of quality in the side in the last few years, no doubt about that.

I do think it is interesting though that the benchmark we all have (in modern terms) is MON's Seville team. At the time, there was Charlie Nicholas saying exactly the same things about that team that Burley says now. In fact there were many punters lining up to say Larsson was a "bottler who couldn't make it in the SPL", Sutton was an "EPL failure" (despite winning the EPL himself), and Lambert and Lennon not being good enough to play down south for a big team.

The Lisbon Lions themselves have also had to subject themselves to this type of thinking, a mindset that starts with all things down south being so much better. It is actually a side effect of colonisation and Ingerlund has benefited from this for well over a century, all things Ingerlish seen as good etc.

The EPL has many good players, they pay good wages, etc but the gap between the EPL and SPL isn't as large as people make out. Additionally, there is a false comparison which has always been in place.

Fact is, despite all this, and I agree Burley makes some good points, leagues are about consistency and to win them, no matter where you are, takes a certain mindset, something that this current Celtic team does have. Getting out of two group stages of the CL does say something considering league setups will always favour quality, and we have done that playing some tough teams. Perhaps some weight should be given to that? :shrug:
In the nation of the blind the one eyed man is king.

All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing

HWEUCSC & Chicago CSC

Buena Vista Celtic Club, Keeping the Green Flag Flying High
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