A couple of observations as an outsider ...

[IrishCelt67 0]

1. You won''t be getting Hooper. No disrespect. He''s changing agents and they''re at it and it looks like it''s drawn in Hughton but I think they''re fishing for a ''bigger'' EPL side to go to. At £5m (insulting - Rhodes cost Blackburn £8m, for crying out loud) you''re not even going to get to talk to the lad. If you stay up this season - and despite the panicking on here (and among your support?) I think you''ll be okay - there''s an outside chance in the summer. By then, though, I''d expect to see clubs like Villa, Sunderland etc. coming in. If he bangs in a hat-trick against Juventus in the Champions League, he might even get a ''big'' club abroad. 2. Great to see Pilkington get a call-up for our national team. A fine player. Used to go and see Wes Hoolahan play for Shelbourne at Tolka Park, too, so would be great to see both of them line out at Lansdowne Road.3. Your board here seems to be just as bad as Celtic boards for people wigging out when things go wrong. You''re in a bad spell but Hughton''s a good coach, your club seems to be pretty sound and you''ll likely stay up. Chill!

[Dr Jekyll 0]

I agree with everything except the final point. You have no idea how bad hughton is he is so STATIC! Cant change a team for shite!

[Stig 0]

Y''know, you''re right... £5mil is insulting actually. Some people think it''s rather ambitious on here though! I can''t wait to see Pilks and Hoolahan play against Poland :]

[IrishCelt67 0]

Last season, Neil Lennon was considering offering his resignation when 3-0 down away to Kilmarnock. The team pulled it back to 3-3, we went on to win the league and he has been a revelation this season tactically in the Champions League winning 2-3 away at Spartak Moscow, taking Barca to the 94th minute at the Nou Camp and turning them over at home. First season for Hughton, you''ve gotta cut him some slack and gradually build his own style and team.

[Alan_Grey 0]

[quote user="IrishCelt67"]Last season, Neil Lennon was considering offering his resignation when 3-0 down away to Kilmarnock. The team pulled it back to 3-3, we went on to win the league and he has been a revelation this season tactically in the Champions League winning 2-3 away at Spartak Moscow, taking Barca to the 94th minute at the Nou Camp and turning them over at home. First season for Hughton, you''ve gotta cut him some slack and gradually build his own style and team.[/quote]

I am not Hughton''s biggest critic, by far, but the difference for us is that a single poor season could literally spell financial ruin, whereas for you it might mean finishing second.

[IrishCelt67 0]

Ask Tony Mowbray about finishing second at Celtic.If you went down you''d still get about 10 times the domestic TV money we get.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

The OP is fair enough, lets not turn this into a slanging match.

[Johnny_Bravo 0]

Or maybe..

http://m.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/130121/exclusive-hooper-closer-norwich-move-after-rejecting-final-c

[IrishCelt67 0]

[quote user="Johnny_Bravo"]Or maybe..

http://m.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/130121/exclusive-hooper-closer-norwich-move-after-rejecting-final-c[/quote]I just saw that. I''m not kidding, that 100% convinces me I''m right. Talksport are beyond bullshit, they never get anything right and - trust me - if a ''friend'' of Hooper''s wanted to leak details it wouldn''t be to Talksport. In short, it''s balls.

[Twitchy 0]

[quote user="Johnny_Bravo"]Or maybe..

http://m.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/130121/exclusive-hooper-closer-norwich-move-after-rejecting-final-c[/quote]Beat me to it Bravo, just seen the article myself.

[crabbycanary 2]

Villa have got loads of money haven''t they?

Sunderland have just sold a striker who , conceivably is at the same standard as Hooper. Also with our interest having been ''out there'' for a few days now, who else is sniffing? Nope, I haven''t heard anyone else''s name mentioned either.

Hooper can have his 2 big games this season remaining, but I feel he needs to move sooner rather than later, or Celtic might well lose money on him in 6 months time, compared with now.

[Stig 0]

And the torment prolongs itself for another afternoon! It occures to me life would be easier if I were to not want Hooper... yes, yes I don''t want Hooper. No to Hooper! Say it with me! NO TO HOOOOPPEEEERRRRR.

Until we get Hooper, then I can want and will have Hooper! HAHA, master plan!

[IrishCelt67 0]

[quote user="Stig"]And the torment prolongs itself for another afternoon! It occures to me life would be easier if I were to not want Hooper... yes, yes I don''t want Hooper. No to Hooper! Say it with me! NO TO HOOOOPPEEEERRRRR.

Until we get Hooper, then I can want and will have Hooper! HAHA, master plan![/quote]HahahaSeriously, save yourself the hassle. Believe the complete opposite of whatever Talksport tell you on anything. It makes life so much easier.

[Just Dan 10]

Jelavic cost Everton 5 million this time last year, and had a very good scoring record in the SPL. Think 5 or 6 million will be enough to get Hooper. We may not attract 60, 000 fans to every home game but we play at places like stamford bridge, anfield, the emirates and the etihad, so it is clear to see why he might want a crack at the Prem. Join a bigger club? Perhaps, but they tend to like the safety of buying established internationals.

Rhodes at 8m was inflated and, as far as I can tell, there was only1 club prepared to pay such a sum for an unknown quantity and they got themselves an excellent championship striker (who I happen to think would do well inthe Prem).

Don''t know if Hooper will end up playing for us, but I hope he does. He could do a lot worse and might not be able to do much better (lets face it, he will not getchampions league football with his first premier club). Outside the sides who see themselves pushing for champions, we are a very attractive option and I can''t think of a better one. But then I am biased!

[Jim Smith 2,317]

£7 million will get it done. Let''s just pay it and seal the deal before others start sniffing!

[crabbycanary 2]

Meant to add that Hooper will also lose our on 6 months of inflated wages if he stays. He could do a lot worse than come here right now!

[Bert sneakers 0]

I like irish celtic.

How refreshing to have somebody on this forum who isn''t preaching doom and gloom, you speak a lot of sense and all this from a supporter of a team who''s star performer is being pursued by us.

Good on you mate, all the best too you.

[Yobocop 1,099]

I agree with that bert

Also like to say he''s spot on by saying our fans seem to get a kick out of getting on the managers and players back...

[Stig 0]

It''s not so much *...* that anyone gets a kick out of it *..* mm.. this brighton rock is good... *...* It''s that *...* sometimes these flaws need highlighting and criticising. Especially the last couple of weeks.

Oh god, I dunno if I prefer mint or fruit rock *...* mmm... mint.

[Evesham Canary 0]

I can remember similar heartache and gnashing of teeth when we were in for Ashton and Huckerby and both of them arrived despite interest from other "bigger" clubs. Nothing about NCFC is ever straightforward certainly where transfers are concerned. Even the Snodgrass deal in the summer end up being rather protracted!

Unlike other hysterical posters who are claiming all sorts of conspiracy theories ( this is a football transfer not the assassination of a President FFS!!) I am sure we have made this bids and, therefore, we must have some pot of money. If the selling clubs do not wish to sell, ask unrealistics prices or the player decides to go elsewhere then there is little we can do. I am sure we will make some signings - the last 6 games have shown that if we have keys players missing we simply cannot cope - no Ruddy & Whittaker for all 6 games whilst the likes of Holt, Johnson & Bassong have all missed games. Some of the back up players have shown there are not up to the task - notably R Bennett, Howson & Jackson. Time to get in 4 or 5 new players. With Lappin going today and some of the other squad members loaned out it is beginning to look like this might be happening.

[havemyhowsonit 0]

Celtic have two games left in the champions league. Lucky to get that.

If they score 1 goal in two games against JUVENTUS?! They have done extremely well

Hooper should come ASAP to save and embarrassing aggregate hiding

[Norwich or die tryin! 0]

If the OP is Irish why support Celtic?

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

[quote user="Norwich or die tryin"]If the OP is Irish why support Celtic?
[/quote]

 

Is the Pope a Catholic?[:^)]

[Beefy is a legend 224]

quote user="Norwich or die tryin!"If the OP is Irish why support Celtic?/quote

That is literally the silliest question I have ever seen on this board. Maybe type ''Origins of Celtic FC'' into Google?!

A pretty decent post from the OP and I agree with most of it. I suspect we will be going back with an improved offer and it will test Celtic''s resolve because in the summer they ain''t gonna get much for the lad with only 1 year left on his contract. This is their big chance to cash in. There is, however, the possibility of another Prem Club moving for him but so far not alot seems to be going on. This one, I suspect, will go down to deadline day.

[Baracouda 47]

alartz...Celtic have done tremendously well in the champions league. Wouldnt say going to Moscow and Winning, and beat Barca at home is purely based on luck.

and if they do lose, nothing to be ashamed about. Juve under Conte are very good just ask Chelsea.

[Chunky Norwich 0]

Rangers sold Jelavic for about seven million quid about three months before going into liquidation so they actually got a bloody good deal out of that and I''d have thought Everton paid well over the odds.Celtic really don''t need to sell and the January transfer window is notorious for smashing up prices. Put yourself in Celtic''s shoes; you''ve got lots of money in the bank, are about to play Champions League football (which is really all you have to play for this season) and your star 24-year-old English striker is attracting attention. How much would you sell him for?I''d say ten million at least or see you later and assume a club would either crack come Jan 31st or you''re left with an asset you never even needed in the first place

[Chunky Norwich 0]

[quote user="Chunky Norwich"]Rangers sold Jelavic for about seven million quid about three months before going into liquidation so they actually got a bloody good deal out of that and I''d have thought Everton paid well over the odds.Celtic really don''t need to sell and the January transfer window is notorious for smashing up prices. Put yourself in Celtic''s shoes; you''ve got lots of money in the bank, are about to play Champions League football (which is really all you have to play for this season) and your star 24-year-old English striker is attracting attention. How much would you sell him for?I''d say ten million at least or see you later and assume a club would either crack come Jan 31st or you''re left with an asset you never even needed to sell in the first place[/quote]

[mrs miggins 0]

[quote user="IrishCelt67"]1. You won''t be getting Hooper. No disrespect. He''s changing agents and they''re at it and it looks like it''s drawn in Hughton but I think they''re fishing for a ''bigger'' EPL side to go to. At £5m (insulting - Rhodes cost Blackburn £8m, for crying out loud) you''re not even going to get to talk to the lad. If you stay up this season - and despite the panicking on here (and among your support?) I think you''ll be okay - there''s an outside chance in the summer. By then, though, I''d expect to see clubs like Villa, Sunderland etc. coming in. If he bangs in a hat-trick against Juventus in the Champions League, he might even get a ''big'' club abroad.

2. Great to see Pilkington get a call-up for our national team. A fine player. Used to go and see Wes Hoolahan play for Shelbourne at Tolka Park, too, so would be great to see both of them line out at Lansdowne Road.

3. Your board here seems to be just as bad as Celtic boards for people wigging out when things go wrong. You''re in a bad spell but Hughton''s a good coach, your club seems to be pretty sound and you''ll likely stay up. Chill!
[/quote]

 

Another person who can see into the future. I say lets just wait and see ay?

[Alan_Grey 0]

[quote user="IrishCelt67"]Ask Tony Mowbray about finishing second at Celtic.If you went down you''d still get about 10 times the domestic TV money we get.[/quote]

It doesn''t matter, it''s all relative, the jump down (parachute payments or not) is incredibly hard to manage well. Just ask Portsmouth, Birmingham whose entire team is for sale, and so on and so forth.

[Guest]

I reckon 5million is about 3million to much for an SPL player, never really rated the SPL in footballing terms it''s about mid table championship at best.