25 Oct 2012

Liverpool 1-8 favourites to sign £7m 58-goal striker in January. Good solution...?

The January transfer window is fast-approaching, and with Liverpool desperately in need of at least one new striker, it will be interesting to see who actually ends up at the club. In recent weeks, the Reds have been linked with Celtic star Gary Hooper, and with 58 goals in the last 98 games, the striker certainly fits the bill, and all indications suggest that the Reds have a good chance of landing him.

According to several top UK bookmakers, Liverpool are 1-8 favourites to sign Hooper in January, and are currently ahead of Aston Villa and Newcastle in the betting stakes.

Hooper's stats are impressive:

* 78 goals and 22 assists in the last 130 games.

* 1 goal every 1.6 games.

* Goal or assist every 1.2 games.

The 24-year old recently scored 4 goals in one game, but Celtic boss Neil Lennon is confident that the Harlow-born striker will renew his contract at Parkhead:

"He is only 24 and there is more to come. He is certainly enjoying life here and has made a real name for himself.

"It wouldn't surprise me if there are a number of clubs in for Gary because of the way he is but I would poo-poo that [Liverpool link].

"We are still in negotiations at the minute and I don't think we are too far away.


According to one source, Brendan Rodgers a 'long-term fan' of the player, who would reportedly cost around £7m.

Celtic is a massive, well-supported club, but I think it's safe to predict that if a big Premier League club comes in for Hooper, he'll leave Parkhead.

Worth a bid?



Jaimie Kanwar


86 comments:

  1. Not really sure about him but will do with anyone right now who has a little bit of accuracy in shooting. I for one would like Walcott to come in on cheap. While there are other better foreign strikers, I simply don't see FSG will be willing to spend a lot on 27-28-29 year old.

    IMO, with Chelsea eyeing Falcoa and Man City eyeing Jovetic....there will be a bit less competition for Cavani. I really do think one can compensate for not being in CL with money. 30mn for Cavani with 120k-140k p/w wages....he will definitely come. He is earning what, 40k right now?

    But as I said, FSG are still in shock after KD and DC wasted money last season. I just don't see them spending it again.

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  2. no chance...Celtic want at least 12 million for him

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  3. Can't see it lads. Why go to Liverpool when he'll be playing in the champions league!

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  4. He is quality and Celtic would take the £7m especially if he doesn't sign a new deal. Be sorry to see the boy go. His accuracy is great and his eye for goal has not been seen at Celtic park since Larsson.

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  5. llorente, huntelaar. cavani is a good idea also... all proven, and still young.

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  6. hes the same type of player as Andy Carroll. why ship him out at a loss to bring in a similar player

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  7. I wonder who is better Hopper or Rhodes. Both of them scored a lot of goal.

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  8. His finishing ability cannot be questioned, after Jelavic moved to Everton I started to realize that certain players from the Scottish League are actually quality.

    I hope we sign him.

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  9. In what way is he similar to Carroll? White, male and English?

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  10. You think Huntelaar is young , he's 30 in August !

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  11. you'd better think about a bigger number than £7m. You bought the 'one trick pony' Carroll for £35m and Hooper has outscored him even in the Championship 3 years ago. I agree the SPL isn't the standard of EPL but he's playing (and scoring) in Champ Lge - you aint!

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  12. ...and gets paid to play football!

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  13. we need a quick solution so don't go and find young massive talents..just need short term solution that is pure proven goal scorer so one word "HUNTELAAR"..only one can bring what liverpool lacking most part last two season..bring him on plus right winger who can take on defenders&cross accurately we will be on top 4 ahead of arsenal&tottenham..trust me!!

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  14. Hahahaha, good luck with that Mr Rodgers.

    Celtic have no financial need to sell players right now and are building a team for our future in Europes elite. Say what you want about the SPL but the proof we belong in Europe is in black and white, 2nd place in group G at the halfway point. Thats with a squad that cost a third of the price of Andy Carroll.

    The likes of Hooper and Wanyama will not be leaving for anything short of £20m and it will only be to a club that can guarantee Champions league football like Celtic.

    I'm a big fan of Liverpool and have been for many years, just fed up of the English thinking the EPL is the be all and end all of world football.

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  15. that means at least 3 more top level football. in the meanwhile somebody from the academy will emerge...

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  16. Bought for £2.4m, scored a load of goals, including in the Champions League and has become Celtic's main man .. and you expect him to go for £7m? Or about one-fifth of Andy Carroll even though he scored more goals in the Championship in the same season Carroll was there?

    Behave!

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  17. Headline "58 goal striker"?????

    First paragraph "55 goals in 98 games"
    Stats section "78 goals in 130 games"

    Anyway forget it, Hooper would only move for serious money and Celtic would expect £10m plus for someone who is 24 and available for England selection

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  18. Cavani signed a new contract in August with a release clause of £48m. Total guess but got to be on a lot more than £40k a week me thinks

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  19. How is he anything like Carroll? Have you ever even seen him play?

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  20. He wont be playing in it by January....
    If he turned out like Jelavic, then it would be good. We need something...
    I just wonder if Celtic would want a lot more for him in January.

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  21. Or buy someone who would be cheaper and is 5 years younger??

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  22. just go online and check how many goals he scores EACH season, regardless for whom he is playing. and given the fact he is free in summer, he is cheap too.

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  23. And thanks for updating your facts!

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  24. Yes, thanks for pointing that out. When I forgot to add on Hooper's goals from the last month.

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  25. Have you got alzheimer's Kanwar, your always repeating the same stories

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  26. As a celtic fan, I would hope that Hooper stays another season or two, but its always the case that we will sell if the deal is right for both club and player. I am sure that Hooper will want to test himself in the PL at some point, and Liverpool would not be a bad club to sign for. He is likely to get a lot of game time given the lack of strikers at Anfield. If celtic are going to sell him though, it will take a big bid in the region of £10 million. His goals were one of the reasons we qualified for the CL this year, and celtic will have that in mind if any bids do come in.

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  27. Although Hooper and Rhodes both have a record of being prolific in lesser leagues, this does not automatically mean they would perform in the Premiership.
    Despite both being prolific at Scunthorpe and Huddersfield, not one Prem manager was willing to take a punt; they ended up at Celtic and Blackburn respectively.

    Hopefully without Comoli in charge of the purse strings we wont pay OTT for a player. IMO anything more than £7m for Hooper is excessive.

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  28. a massive NO NO NO

    Hooper is an average striker playing in a very poor league

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  29. Scoring a hatful of goals in Scotland or the Championship means very little, and certainly doesnt warrant a ridiculous price tag.

    Lets not forget Kris Boyd, who is the All time Scottish premier league goalscorer, and who was top scorer in Scottish Prem for 4 years out of 5 upto 2010.

    He moved to England and failed in the Championship at Middlesboro and Forest, and is now plying his trade in the MLS and is only 29!

    Of course there will be excellent players coming from the Scottish Prem, like Fletcher and Jelavic, who will be a success, but being top scorer in Scotland, with all due respect, means diddly squat.

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  30. This Hooper saga reminds me of hype surrounding Charlie Nicholas' move to Arsenal in the days gone by. What a flop he turned out to be!

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  31. Usual rot coming from supporters in the Greatest league in the Known Universe. They paid 35m for Carroll, he and Hooper played in the Championship at the same time, Carroll scored 17 league goals with Winners Newcastle, Hooper playing for Scunthrope fighting relegation ending up 4th bottom. Hooper in this relegation fighting team scored 19 league goals. So Hooper showed he is the better of the 2, this rot that players from Scotland are only good if they have played in the ELP. Was Dalglish poor or didn't have the skills when he played for Celtic or Jimmy Johnstone or others and only got the skills and talent once they moved south of the border. This is the usual blinkered outlook from english football about Celtic, who was is how knocked Liverpool out of Europe, just lost to a penalty v Man Utd , beat Man Utd at Celtic Park. If Carroll is worth 35m then Hooper with his performance in the same league as Carrol and his performance since joining Celtic in Scotland and Europe show he's the better player.

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  32. Blah blah. all of that is hot air. there is no knowing if he or falcao would be great in the EPL, its pot luck. he looked below average v barca this week. did f all.

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  33. Whoever came up with a valuation of £7m is oviously not too bright.
    Even mediocre reserve strickers in the premiership go for upwards of
    £15m, so think again if you think anyone would get a top notch goal scorer like Hooper for a derisory figure of £7.
    Your having a laugh.

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  34. Do we scout Brazilian players at all......

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  35. To Jaimie K please let's stick to stories that are actually helpful, a high probability of occurring.Like it's entirely possible to get Huntelaar only if his wages are considerable as his pedigree isn't in doubt,nor is his injury record prohibitive.Me thinks if we don't get Huntelaar given his ability to combine wit LS7 then he'l probably end up at Anzhi coz Hiddink,Et'oo & Money=Champs league football,easy league,championship wins,great football & loads of more cash

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  36. Im sorry mate but playing a few games of Champions League does not make up for playing dross the rest of the season. Without Rangers the SPL is an even poorer place than it was. Most players would jump at the chance to move from the SPL to a club like Liverpool or any of the Premier Leagues big clubs.

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  37. I have to jump in hear. How dare you insult Hunterlaar by calling him the same type of player as Carroll. I don't know where you have been? The Dutchman that you say is the same player as Carroll was the third leading scorer in the Bundesliga last season. Liverpool might be interested due to his scoring record from last year. Weather his age will be a factor is yet to be determined. He is nothing like Carroll, having cut his teeth with the likes of Madrid, and Milan before Shalke he has experience of playing at the highest level. Light years ahead of Carroll mate.

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  38. in all honesty the only way liverpool or anyone else would get hooper for £7m is if he lets his contract run down. the reality is he is worth around £12-15m given the crazy prices paid for goal scorers. hooper has excelled in the championship, he has excelled up here in scotland and he has excelled in europe. Although some comments here are correct - he is not the complete striker - he will not rise above defenders and bang in headers, he will not pick up the ball at the halfway line and dribble past 2 or 3. what he does it score goals in the box, he can hold up and lay off the ball in and around the box, and play neat little 1-2's in and around the box. he is a lethal finisher though and he can also score from 20+ yards on occasion too. he'd be the perfect foil for either a big target man or a striker that likes to roam i.e. tevez/aguero type.

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  39. hopper is a a gamble liverpool could take havnt seen him play but his stats are very gud...i still think our targets should be huttler should be our number one target and that 19 kid form benfica second i ve watched him play and he is more constitant than wallcot and less injury pron

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  40. If you mean the Champions League which is beyond your current abilities then perhaps you are right. If you mean actually scoring goals against the elite of European Champions then perhaps you are right but a young English forward who is scoring consistently at any level asked and is considered a prospect for England call up? Give me some of what you are smoking.
    If your 'experts' believed Andy Carrol was worth 35 mil and you dream that you can take Gary Hooper off our hands and do us a favour by offering 7 mil then you are seriously deluded.

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  41. Didnt realise that. If he is, then snap him up quick!

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  42. History tells you a Scottish team will not get upwards of 15m for one of their players.

    I believe (although please do help me out if i'm wrong) that Aiden McGeady is the most expensive player to be sold by an SPL team at £9.5m. The problem the SPL faces is that if a player wants to go which is the situation with alot of players that leave for the EPL, the fee the scottish clubs can demand will be reduced dramatically.

    Just look at Jelavic, same games to goals ratio as Hooper who was sold for 5 million. Ok , yes Rangers were on the brink of administration but the fee would not have been more than 10 even if they had time to wait.

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  43. win win situation no trasfer fee if it dosent work out sell on for profit

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  44. 10 mil might get you a year long loan.

    I would suggest that although Hooper's record would suggest similar figures to that paid for Carroll we know how stupid Liverpool were to pay that kind of money.

    To those who believe that goals in Scotland count for little, therefore players such as Fletcher and Jelavic should be discounted let me remind you that there is a very long list of English players who come to Scotland and are unable to 'make it'.

    A player has a skill set regardless of where they are plying their trade. The EPL seem to be clamouring for Celtic players who are mostly international players who have European experience at the top table and also at Liverpools level... Europa League.

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  45. With a better record and significantly more experience than Andy Carroll .... no?

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  46. Huntelaar is the man! Why would Liverpool buy a Hooper for £7m when they refused to acquire Jelavic (who wanted to come to Anfield) for £5m and also embarrassed Dempsey by refusing to pay another £2m on transfer deadline day.

    £10 to £15 m some of you suggest is his value - c'mon try to be serious!

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  47. History also tells us that Liverpool used to be a great team capable of winning trophies but circumstances change. Celtic has no need to sell players unless they are paid in accordance with their valuation. By your reckoning we should be selling Wanyama for around 5 million too. Step away from the crack pipe sir....

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  48. Remind me... how much did you pay for Carroll? If Liverpool are cheap or skint it is OK but let's not pretend that you want a player but can't afford cos you're still making the payments on Carroll.

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  49. ha ha anoth joke story
    you couldnae afford him ya dafties

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  50. How about similar experience and ability to Luis Suarez ? Why mention Carroll who we have loaned out as a comparison.

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  51. I type a well mannered and logical argument and you come back with childish jibes and just noise.

    No matter what Celtic want, if Hooper wants to leave then he will, this is not just a problem for Celtic but every side in world football pretty much. The power is with the player.

    The point i was making is that if Hooper has aspirations to play in the premier league or any other major European league and hands in a transfer request or publicly states his wish to leave it will damage Celtics bargaining position which will result in a reduced fee. We have seen it time and time again yet you seem to not believe this can happen.

    I can understand you want to defend your club but by being blind to the obvious you are just opening yourself up to ridicule.

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  52. Here we go again, Carroll , Carroll , Carroll. If that's all your point amounts to then i wouldn't bother posting again as you are adding nothing to the debate.

    As Liverpool fans we know we massively overpaid for Carroll, nobody is denying this.

    Carroll was a purchase made under the last manager not the current one so obviously there will be a different team looking over purchases.

    The Carroll money was paid in full after being funded by the Torres sale to Chelsea for 50m .

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  53. Theres a rumour circulating that Liverpool actually won a trophy last season, maybe I better check it out Frank.

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  54. huntelaar was the top scorer in the bundesliga...

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  55. Huntelaar does not fit the FSG age criteria, + he is with a team as good if not better than us right now, challenging in the CL. (done Arsenal last night).
    Hooper imo is not the answer, prefer Adrian Lopez from Ath Madrid who is available, if we are going for that sort of player.
    There is a good chance(based on his signings so far) that BR will buy a player who has played for him before, just who makes it into that list I am not sure, but something to bear in mind.
    I guess FSG's financial transfer input for a player will decide how classy a player we can expect. I personally hope we avoid buying English, we have seen the result from supposed great English players recently. The window opens in about 9 weeks or so, so presumably the short list has already been drawn, who it contains is any ones guess at the moment.

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  56. Thats one player mate and he was lazy, fat and uninterested when he went to boro

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  57. In lesser leagues, what the champions league ya pecker!! You would have to pay 12 million son for a prolific scorer otherwise your up shite creek why join a pish team like Liverpool!! You English plums piss me off your your verbal bullshit!! Henderson 16 million, I bumper!! Carroll 20 million I very good and you think you can get hooper for 7, you live in cloud cuckoo land son, ps Rhodes has scored more than your whole team!!! Including Suarez!!

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  58. I no bother, another fud!! Are Liverpool in the champs league?? Naw, why, cause they are shite!! End of

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  59. Calm down,calm down. Your language is shocking to call that fella a bad name and call Liverpool a bad name is bloomin ridiculous,vere have you been ejewcated bhoy? Seriously I remember the great Celtic and Liverpool teams who played great attacking football who could beat anyone on their day. I will say Liverpool are some what away from them days but so are Celtic. The players Celtic have got now could get nowhere near the likes of JOHNSTONE,GEMMIL & PROVAN,BURNS fact. Liverpool FC will rise again and where is the most attractive league to play in,EPL or SPL? mmm

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  60. Van Persie is the same age. Hardly stopping him is it?

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  61. rodgers cant score8:50 pm, October 25, 2012

    Hooper wont happen but why dont LFC become LFC 0 in fitting with our goalscoring prowess

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  62. Will ,Celtic currently in 2nd place in group, narrowly lost to Barcelona ,and will be playing in champions after Jan and again next season , can you guarantee that

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  63. Red WIll , why do you assume most players would want to move to the EPL . Yes maybe if top 5 club or so with. Chance of winning something , probably not if in your position or worse mid table or lower unlikely to win league or find hard to qualify for Europe . Think I may stay a few seasons win a few titles get some champion league experience

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  64. Cause you paid 35 million for the donkey

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  65. Celtic have won one European away fixture in the history of the champions league during which time Liverpool have won the competition, lost a final and won two UEFA cups. That is why he may choose to sign for Liverpool should they firm up their interest. Celtic compete in the champions league in the same way that San Marino compete in the Euros or Eddie the eagle competed at the winter olympics. Wake up and smell the coffee. The fact that you are celebrating a 2-1 defeat tells you everything about the status of your club right now. Winning the Scottish premiership is like winning a beauty competition in Hull.

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  66. rhodes scored something like 40+ in league one though hardly anywhere near as good as premeir league and defenders a lot better as well imagine playing with the likes of kompany, vidic and vermaelan week in week out compared to nial canavan and jordan stewart

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  67. how hard is it to qualify for the champions league in the scottish league be honest how hard, liverpool is a much better club than celtic and if they where in the scottish league would be laughing over all the teams nuff said

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  68. Put down the buckfast frank. Truth is, if Hooper wants to move and won't sign new contract then £7m is about all you're looking at for him, whoever buys him. One decent game against Barca and Celtic fans think its the 60's again. Truth is bhoy, you have a one team league so get over yourselves. Personally I'd be fuming if we bought him and not the Hunter. By the way have you heard a single Red say they thought Carroll was worth the £35m we wasted on him? No! So your comparisons sound a bit daft.

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  69. And when I say "decent game against Barca", remember, ya still lost.

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  70. I respect Celtic as a club but the fact remains Liverpool even without champions league is a much more attractive proposition than Celtic.its not difficult to make the champions leage with the standard of teams you compete with in the spl. Clubs of the ilk of Cluj nordsjaelland and bate are competing in the champions league right now.celtic are guaranteed champions league because of how poor the other teams are.if they were in the premier league I'd bet my house they wouldn't even make the top 10

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  71. There is one thing 'playing in the CL', but when playing in a second rate, near bankrupt league the lure of the English Premier League will be too good to turn down. If Liverpool or any other top flight team go in for him in January.... he will be leaving in January. Face it, the SPL will go bust inside 3 years!

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  72. And if they played in the 2nd rate SPL, then they would be top! Lets face it, Celtic are in the CL by virtue of the fact that all European leagues get at least one entrant. They have done ok so far and may have a chance of scraping into the knock out stages. There is no chance in hell that they will advance to the latter stages or beat any of the big teams in the competition. Plucky and hard working? yes, quality with a chance of winning? ahem, no

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  73. Oh I love comments like this.... There was a time when Scottish football was good. When the Scotland team would regularly qualify for international tournaments and their players were respected all over the world for their graft and tenacity. However... them times is long gone and the league is practically bankrupt! SPL Clubs can not offer the wages or security that they once could, and with the lowering of money, so too has there been a general lowering of the talent pool. And to justify your position, you claim that 'if Carroll is worth £35m then...', Liverpool paid an exorbitant fee for an unproven player in the prem, because they were paid an exorbitant fee for a past it player and needed one quickly. No one has ever claimed Carroll is "worth" £35m its just what we were forced to pay to get someone quickly. Those people responsible (The same skillfull Kenny Dalglish) have been fired and Liverpool believe that Carroll is worth closer to £15m. With only months left to run on his contract and the lure of a bigger deal, Hooper will be available 'cheap' to anyone in the premier league who comes calling.

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  74. Lfc 0? I don't follow you? Liverpool 1: Anzi 0; Liverpool 1:Reading 0; Liverpool 2:Man City 2...... Numpty

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  75. Hey I'll have you know that there are some reet fit burds in Huuuull

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  76. I would like us to go for Ba and Walcott.Don't think FSG will spend big in Jan even with the current situation on the pitch(few goal scorers).Heard Ba has got a release clause of 7 mln and Arsenal could settle for a little less then they were expecting in the summer if walcott does not sign a new contract,if these two could come for around 15-16 mln it would mean good business by FSG plus BR would also have a decent team to compete .

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  77. Hooper is also scoring regularly in Europa and Champions League as well. Take the point about Boyd but anyone who knows anything about football knew he was a very very limited player with no movement and no pace - just a poacher. Hooper has touch, awareness and can finish. Remember in their last season in the Championship he outscored Carroll. He's a class act and will cost accordingly.

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  78. Neither, both of them are over-hyped English potential next..... If anyone thinks that performance in SPL or Championship is the yardstick, no wonder why English football is becoming a sky-hoof laughing stock.

    Haven't we learned yet the consequences of spending crazy money on crap Brit youths? Hardly any skill, they tend to depend mostly on physical attributes & compared to their Spanish, French, German, Dutch or Italian counterparts, too ordinary.

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  79. Agreed, exactly that's why we shouldn't pay big for another over hyped English crap. However, if we can pay 35mn for Carroll, Celtic shouldn't expect anything less than 15mn (but there is no Dalglish this time; so no chance).

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  80. Actually, Jelavic's price was low for his passport. Had he been English, he would have priced at least 15mn. I think, English players should thank Michel Platini for his stand on "home grown" players, otherwise hardly any English players would have played in CL (Or Europa), for their standard.

    Forget about KD & Commoli howlers, they are incompetent, but it's a joke that players like Darren Bent is priced at 20mn or so, when Cabbya or Pappis Cisse cost 4mn & 7mn.

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  81. Also, Carroll's purchase came at the cost of 35mn, the job of a Manager, his deputy & the Director of Football (& the peace of mind for millions of supporters). The highest priced "Donmel" ever (Hybrid of donkey & camel)

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  82. If he is as limited as you say, then really you are concurring with my argument that having an excellent goalscoring record in Scotland means diddly squat!
    As for scoring regularly in Europe... when he influences a game against a decent team then you may have a point, but scoring against the likes of Rennes, HJK Helsinki and Spartak Moscow???!!!... none of them would even set the Scottish Premier alight!

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  83. I'd like to see that long list of English players that failed to make it. I'm sure it is littered with full internationals at the prime of their careers!!

    You're all jumping up and down saying how shite liverpool are and that you're in tha Champions League but the truth of the matter is that there will never be a day where Celtic make the Champions League final, let alone win it.

    I'll have a bet with any of you that Liverpool win more European silverware than Celtic in the next ten years (the rest of Hoopers career). I'd say that's a pretty safe bet!

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  84. Sums it up perfectly mate! These dillusional scots are giving me a right laugh!!

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