Novo makes a fool of himself (again)

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln

Football journalists get it wrong. That much is clear and, sometimes, depending on the journalist, they get it wrong more often than not, sometimes deliberately.

Add to that the fact that they report on footballers who don’t need to pass any academic exams to earn their corn and the results can be farcical. Witness the idiotic piece circulating from the Press Association from football luminary, Nacho Novo, criticising Scott Brown.

"We have no interest in players who have no interest in coming to play for this club," he said.

"If he wants to go and play for another club, it is his loss, not our loss.

"Everybody knows Scott Brown is a great player but it is one thing to play for Hibs and another thing to play for Celtic.

"£4.4million is a lot of money and he will need to prove himself. He is a good player but every player needs to prove himself. I think he will do so because he is a talented player and a strong, young lad.

"I know Celtic is a big club as well but we want players who are committed to coming here and decide to come here."

The piece then also claims: “Novo, 28, found himself in a similar position four years ago when he was courted by both halves of the Old Firm after scoring a huge number of goals at Dundee”.

There is one similarity in the two cases – Nacho Novo wasn’t made an offer by Celtic and Scott Brown wasn’t made an offer by Rangers. In Novo’s case, he was shown around the stadium but Martin O’Neill declined to make a move for him. For Brown’s transfer, Rangers were ruled out of the bidding when the asking price reached £3.5million. So the fact that Brown clearly indicated his desire to play for Celtic months ago was largely irrelevant.

There was only one winner when Celtic “lost out” in the Novo case – Rangers found themselves with a thoroughly nasty player who disappointed when he was most needed and constantly made unintelligent but provocative remarks.

It wouldn’t be hard for Brown to do better.

Celtic make historic signing

The worst thing you can do to a young footballer is make outrageous claims as to their potential or compare them to all-time greats. For that reason, apologies are extended to Scott Brown, who has agreed a five-year deal with Celtic at a reported fee of £4.4 million.

Anyone who makes stupid predictions (also see video two below) is putting himself in the firing line but let The Celts are Here stick its neck on the line and say that Celtic have signed the major emerging midfield talent in British football and one who, with hard work, discipline and effective coaching will be drawing comparisons to Roy Keane in a very short time.

The move is a testament to the vision of Gordon Strachan, the financial strength of the board and the ambition of the player himself in choosing a lower financial package than offered elsewhere for the chance to play in a team that is still in the ascendancy and one with real hopes of making an impact in European competition.

It is no secret that, despite what is on paper a near embarrassment of riches in the midfield, Strachan was faced with three positions in that area in which no player has made himself indispensable. That is the first target for Skoosh and one that he is more than capable of achieving.

Players like Brown are few and far between - box-to-box specialists, full of energy, making vital tackles and crucially having enough of an understanding of the game around them to make a vital forward pass within a split second of winning the ball. Anyone who has watched Brown's game over the years will have seen a player who has the sharp instincts and determination to match his talent. Don't be surprised if this proves to be one of the club's most significant signings for years.