Stuart Armstrong

I'd only sell him if we don't make the CL group stages. If we do I'd tell him he's here until the end of the season whether he signs or not. A win in the CL groups is 1.5m euros, so a couple of wins, which he is well capable of helping us to, is worth as much to as us selling him. Yes we could use the £3m straight away to bring someone else in, but it would take them time to learn the system, I'd rather stick with someone that knows it inside out already.

 

If he does go it leaves us with less of a goal threat but with Ntcham there we may control games even more, Ntcham looks a real find..

It would be great to have both as options though and if Armstrong leaves it obviously weakens the squad.

 

I think he wants to go tbh. His recent performances haven't been up to his recent standards and I can't help but think that's because he wants to be in the EPL. Could just be a normal dip in form I suppose but if he does want to go we should let him. Not a good idea to keep an unhappy player at a club

 

Looks mentally gone already. Brendan cranked the pressure on Friday with phrases like
" Had a good 6 months
And
"Resolved one way or another"

 

It's a * awful small affair,
to the bhoy with the gorgeous hair.
Cause his managers yelling 'no',
and his daddy has told him to go.

But his contracts nowhere to be seen,
now he's looking at other teams.
Where he plays in the richest league,
Instead of going to Aberdeen.

But he knows that those teams don't score,
cause he's seen them on Sky Sports 4.
He could spit in the eyes of fools,
as they ask him to focus on

Agents, looking for a big deal.
Oh man,
look at those scumbags go.
They only care about dough.

Take a look at your team mates,
taking on Astana.
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know?
We're going for 10 in a row.

Is Stu one of us?

 

You've outdone yourself here

 

Ugh just * sign it or * off

 

10m knocked back by Hull for Sam Clucas, * England they're clueless..

I know a player is only worth what a someone is willing to pay but * me Stu is worth a lot more than the figures branded around, even in the last year of his contract..

 

BRENDAN Rodgers has attributed the loss of confidence experienced by Stuart Armstrong to his failure to agree a lucrative contract extension with Celtic and suggested the midfielder has been poorly advised by his representatives.

Armstrong was one of the outstanding performers in Rodgers’s team last season as they qualified for the Champions League group stages, won a Betfred Cup, Ladbrokes Premiership and William Hill Scottish Cup treble and went undefeated domestically.

However, the 25-year-old, who was awarded his first Scotland cap against Slovenia in March as a consequence of his fine displays for the Glasgow club, has been unable to replicate that form so far in the 2017/18 campaign.

The inability of the former Dundee United man, who struggled to establish himself at Celtic before Rodgers arrived last year, to reach the same levels as he had previously scaled has concerned his manager.

Having Armstrong at the top of his game would certainly be a huge assistance to Celtic in the Champions League play-off games against Astana of Kazakhstan in the coming days.

Rodgers, who voiced his concerns about the player’s state of mind following the Premiership match against Partick Thistle at Firhill on Friday night, stressed he would be in his squad for the first leg at Celtic Park this evening.

But the former Swansea City and Liverpool boss believes Armstrong, who has been linked with a move to Barclays Premier League club Southampton, has been adversely affected by the ongoing impasse over his future.

The Northern Irishman stated the stand-off is impeding his continuing development and should have been sorted out “a long time ago”.

“I have regular chats with Stuart," he said. "He is someone that I really respect as a person and I really respect the development that he made as a player last season. I want him to get back to that level.

“He’s a thinker. He’s a clever guy. What worried me the other day was that I saw something in a player that I hadn’t seen from back when I first came in. That is where the contract situation comes in. It is about finding that stability.

“There has been an offer there for a long time now which is a really, really good offer. But if representatives feel there are maybe other options for him - and we haven’t had an offer – and they want to wait and wait and wait and wait to see what happens then, okay, that’s what you do. But the player suffers.

“It’s not the boy, it’s not him. If you’re paying someone to make decisions for you and who’ll gain their commission from it then of course that’s what you look towards. Listen, most players have representatives. They are there to represent them.

“But it is something that could and should have been done a long time ago. That’s my feeling on it. But I have a feeling it might go to the very end of the transfer window.

“In Stuart’s situation I would love for him to have it resolved, but unfortunately it doesn’t look as if that will be in the immediate future. There will be reasons why which his representatives will have. I have got an idea of the reasons why.”

Asked if the contract offer could ultimately be taken off the table, Rodgers said: “I wouldn’t want to at this stage. I don’t see how that works really. Plus, I wouldn’t want to do that to Stuart. He is a young player, he is a good fella, I want to help him. I want to develop him. I still believe this is the best place for him to be.

“With all due respect, probably outside of Scotland nobody knew of him six months ago. That’s the reality of it. Over the course of the season he developed into a very good player. I still think this is the best place for him to develop.

Asked what he had noticed in his play against Partick, he said: “Just a lack of confidence, nothing behaviourally. It’s just when you see someone’s confidence being effected. When you see a sort of nervousness when he made a pass.

“I’ve known him long enough now. I saw what he was when I came in and I watched him grow and develop. Then I see where he is now. And I don’t want him to be there. I want him to be the best player he can be.

“But I can reassure the supporters that, for me, this is a player who does want to be here. He genuinely does. I sense that from him, from good conversations which are very open. I feel that. It’s not the case of him not wanting to be here. I don’t believe that.

“I just think it’s something that’s dragged on way, way too long for what, with all due respect is a simple deal. This is a simple deal, not a big multi multi-million pound deal.

“This is a simple deal that should have been sorted out before the end of last season. Now it’s dragged on and on and on.”

Rodgers fears it will be difficult for Armstrong, who is under contract until the end of this season, to get back to the level that he was at last term until the situation is resolved.

“There are certain characteristics with players who can deal with it,” he said. “Some players can do it, I’ve had players before like that. I had (Luis) Suarez who got through it. It’s just the mechanics of the different type of person.

“But that’s something you have to do. No matter what’s going in with the background noise, your money is in your bank every month and every day you’ve got to perform.

“And if not then it’s very simple. I don’t pick the team, the players pick the team. I can mould then and construct them to work a certain way, but that’s how the game goes.

“Listen, Stuart is fine. He’ll be in the squad and he’s a player I’ve really enjoyed working with. That’s one of the frustrations of this, for me, because it’s such a simple deal. Six months ago it should have been organised, sorted and done.

“And how modern football works, if a club wants you from the Premier League they’ll pay for you. Goodness knows, they’ll pay for you. If you’re a player up here in Scotland you don’t need to worry about signing a new deal thinking it’s going to hold you back.

“The game has changed. It doesn’t work like that. You can gain yourself six months’ money and still go if that’s what you want to do.”

 

“With all due respect, probably outside of Scotland nobody knew of him six months ago. That’s the reality of it. Over the course of the season he developed into a very good player. I still think this is the best place for him to develop."


Ouch Brendan...

 

* right too.

Brendan made him a player, he deserves a bit of loyalty but your not going to get it with Mr Agent Moneybags these days.

 

Not true either, weren't Burnley about to bring him in when we signed him?

 

BR throwing down the gauntlet. Time for SA to make up his mind.

 

Got to disagree, he has always been a player, Brendan just played him in his actual position.

 

It'd be a shame to lose a player of his calibre as there is serious talent there. Keeping players like Armstrong is essential if we hope to build. Obviously the contract negotiations appear to be messy but hopefully it can be resolved.

 

“But I can reassure the supporters that, for me, this is a player who does want to be here. He genuinely does. I sense that from him, from good conversations which are very open. I feel that. It’s not the case of him not wanting to be here. I don’t believe that."

If you read the full quotes, Brendan is clearly * off with Armstrong's representatives. I don't blame him. The deal has been on the table for six months. So there are clearly no more negotiations to be had from our side. It's take it or leave it and if Armstrong doesn't take it, I won't be wishing him well if he leaves.

Sutton got it spot on about him tonight saying that he's getting a bit too big for his boots.

 

I still fail to see how if Armstrong was so desperate to be here then why he wouldn't tell his representative "get it signed". The club have made it clear this is their offer, take it or leave it. So surely there's no more money Armstrong's representatives can squeeze out of the club. Therefore, if Armstrong wants to stay he should sign it, knowing his representatives have done their bit for him in getting the best deal possible.

 

Agreed.

Sick of reading "he wants to be here".

If he really wanted to be here he'd have signed the * contract. It's his decision, not his agents.

 

Stuart would love to stay at a massive club in Celtic, win trophies and play under a top class manager for years to come........BUT Stuart would also like 40k a week and a stonking signing on fee. Poor Stuart can't make up his mind.

Trophies & glory or money Stuart? Getting boring now Stuart, time to decide Stuart!

Think that's what Brendan is saying anyway.

 

Armstrong out for me now