Big Jan ready to become a Bhoy for life

From todays Daily Mail:



Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink has hinted that he could stay at Celtic for the rest of his career.

The towering Dutchman, who has scored three goals in four games for Gordon Strachan following his £3.5million arrival from PSV Eindhoven, said: "When you get the Celtic bug, you have it for the rest of your life".

Not even the ankle problem that has rendered him doubtful for next midweek's crucial Champions League assignment against Benfica in Lisbon has dampened the 27-year-old's enthusiasm for life at Celtic.

Vennegoor of Hesselink is already contracted until 2009 with the option of a further year, but he added: "Maybe I want to play here for the rest of my football life. Scottish football means pure adulation. Before I went to Celtic, I had an idea how it would be, but it is bigger and more intense than I thought. Playing here is fantastic."

The Dutchman's endorsement will merely add to the feelgood factor sure to permeate today's annual general meeting at Celtic Park.

Chief executive Peter Lawwell and chairman Brian Quinn will face shareholders uplifted by manager Strachan's two trophies, the likelihood of Champions League progress, plus the fact that work is now under way on the club's new £7m training centre and youth academy at Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire.

The Shaun Maloney contract issue may be raised, however, and Sportsmail understands the club may have to sweat until next February before he can sign a new deal - because of complications regarding the player's agents.

Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa and Premiership rivals Tottenham have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old Scotland international, whose current deal expires at the end of the season.

Maloney has been in talks with Celtic about a new contract since February of this year and it has emerged that his decision to change agents midstream could explain the delay in signing a new deal with the club he has served since he was 16.

Sportsmail understands Maloney is contracted to English agent Mel Stein, who once represented Paul Gascoigne, until February 2007.

But, some months ago, the Aberdonian brought in another English agent, John Halliwell, to conduct negotiations with chief executive Peter Lawwell.

If he were to sign a new contract with Celtic now - although it is believed that player and club are still some distance apart on salary - Maloney would be required to pay Stein a sizeable fee even though he has not been involved in recent talks.

Meanwhile, Maloney deserves the reward of an enhanced Parkhead contract according to former Celtic striker John Hartson.

In Glasgow yesterday to promote his new book, the West Brom target man urged the plc board to make Maloney an offer he won't refuse.

"Shaun is terrific and he worked so hard to come back to great form last season after injury," said Hartson. "He deserves a lot of money in his next contract and the board simply have to pay him what he is worth."

 

Great if its true but it's from the Daily Mail...Hardly a reliable source

 

He said he "could" stay for life

 

I hope he'll stay forever, that would be amazing! But it's right, never trust Daily

 

Nope, most news papers like that just make things up just to keep our hopes high... and wouldn't it say on the Celticfc.net site more about this?
but i really hope he does stay, he's done a lot for celtic so far and would be such a loss to lose a great player like him!

 

I am more worried about Maloney, reckon big Jan may be a good one, but reckon wee Shaun may be a legend.

 

both of em could be. financially, we can keep them both

 

Fair point in not getting too excited but unless that quote is an outright lie he does say when you get the Celtic bug you get it for life. We all know exactly what that is all about. The bottom line is clearly VOH is loving life at Celtic Park and that is great news for us as he has been excellent since he signed. A happy player is one who will produce on the field and it clearly comes over that VOH is even happier about the move to Celtic then he thought he would be.

 

why are people worried? he's contracted till 2009 and already we're getting "it'll be a big loss if we did lose him" shaun is the priority and should be treated so.Camara had an excellent start in a celtic shirt and it soon went the other way and harsely people wanted him out,when it comes to the final year of his contract and he's still producing the goods,then we should worry