| Report Index--> 2006-07--> All for 20060806 | ||||
| <-Page | <-Team | Sun 06 Aug 2006 Hearts 2 Celtic 1 | Team-> | Page-> |
| <-Srce | <-Type | Herald ------ Report | Type-> | Srce-> |
| Valdas Ivanauskas | <-auth | Darryl Broadfoot | auth-> | Stuart Dougal |
| [S Petrov 65] | ||||
| 75 | of 085 | Roman Bednar 49 ;Roman Bednar 87 | L SPL | H |
Strachan pares off fringe playersDARRYL BROADFOOT August 08 2006 Celtic have agreed a £600,000 fee with Derby County with the out-of-favour midfielder, Stephen Pearson, and have sanctioned a season-long loan deal with Coventry City for Adam Virgo. Gordon Strachan, the Celtic manager, also held a meeting with his unhappy captain, Neil Lennon, in a frantic afternoon to clear up any lingering uncertainty following his failure to make the starting line-up for the 2-1 defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday. The 35-year-old was dissatisfied by the manager's decision to keep faith with the Jiri Jarosik/Stilian Petrov central midfield axis that contributed to the 4-1 opening day victory against Kilmarnock. Lennon was reassured he still has a significant role to play in his final year at the club but was intent on establishing his future with the transfer window still open. Strachan, who also welcomed Ivaylo Petkov to the club yesterday, has decided to move on his fringe players to generate much-needed funds for the club's title defence and Champions League challenge. Pearson will join Billy Davies' side in the next 48 hours and the fee will be added to the remaining transfer budget which stands in the region of £3m. The possible sale of Stilian Petrov, who has reiterated his intention to leave, would allow greater manoeuvring in the transfer market and while Petkov attempts to prove himself worthy of a contract, the manager will turn his attention to an experienced striker. He has been frustrated in his attempts to sign Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Diego Tristan but will continue his pursuit of an imposing presence in attack, with Maciej Zurawski and Kenny Miller offeringless muscle than the departed John Hartson and Chris Sutton. Petkov must show Strachan he retains the attributes that produced 64 international caps for Bulgaria. In two years he has fallen from Fenerbahce to being released by the Turkish minnows, Ankaragucu. Virgo, meanwhile, has been given the opportunity to revive his career at the Ricoh Stadium. The £1.2m signing from Brighton has endured a miserable year at Celtic and Strachan admitted the Scotland Future internationalist is in desperate need of games. If the spell proves productive, Celtic will hope to recoup some of the outlay on their investment. "Adam Virgo is going on loan to Coventry," said Strachan. "He has got to start playing football now, that's been a year without regular football and he has to get regular games. "There might be another one or two who might be moving out on loan or moving out but we will just have to see. If there is interest from elsewhere in some of our players we will be open-minded. "If we think that it is beneficial for the club and for the player then we will look at it." Former Celtic player Didier Agathe has rejected a move to Blackburn Rovers. The Frenchman was expected to sign a one-year deal after impressing during a three-week trial. But Agathe, 30, has had a change of heart . Agathe claims he is wanted by another Premiership club and could link up again with Martin O'Neill, the former Celtic manager, at Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Amoruso, the former Rangers captain, is set to return to Italy to sign for Serie B side Vicenza. The 35-year-old was released by Blackburn Rovers at the end of the season following three years at Ewood Park.  Taken from the Herald |
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| <-Page | <-Team | Sun 06 Aug 2006 Hearts 2 Celtic 1 | Team-> | Page-> |
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