Paddy McCourt: I’d leave if I wasn’t in Celtic first team

Hope he stays.

 

Exactly my thoughts Ciaran, inconsistency is Paddy's downfall, his natural talent is unquestionable, but even when he is given a chance in the first 11, he doesn't always shine. Sorry Paddy, if you ask me, both yourself and McGinn, aren't good enough to warrant full contracts with Celtic, we need players who will give us more good games, than poor games. Bye, bye guys

 

I'd expect him to have a similar role to last season, so he should be happy enough.

 

canny believe he played 31 games that season lol

 

He may be fit right now, but another bad tackle could put him out for another few months and due to his injury problems in the past, it could affect him more than it would affect other players in our team.

 

I dont think it would, hes got over his injurys, hes a lot tougher than he seems. Ive seen him play for northen ireland and hes a completely different player, hes more aggressive and tough tackling. We seem to want to wrap him in cotton wool, chuck him in the first team and watch him flourish

 

he clearly doesn't deserve more playing time. with Ledley, Kayal and Ki all rightfully ahead of him in the pecking order in the middle of the park and Brown, Commons, Forrest and Maloney ahead of him in the pecking order on the wings, he clearly doesn't deserve a start.

Lennon would rather move Brown into the middle of the park and have either Forrest or Maloney take the wing than let McCourt start. something that i agree with.

i think 99.9% of Celts would have others in front of him in their starting line up.

 

McCourt is FARmore effective than 'Shooders', and Maloney is finoshed IMO.

McCourt is a great weapon to have in your arsenal for the last half hour of the game, when the opposition defence is tiring.

 

I think you're seriously underestimating how highly a lot of supporters rate Paddy.

To an extent, I'm one of them - I'd certainly sooner have him in the wide role than Maloney or Brown. Forrest is a great prospect, but he's not there yet. Commons was one of our best players last season, and if he can keep that up he should start.

But if starting Paddy every now and then is the price of keeping him at the club, then I'd certainly be in favour of it. He can do things that no-one else in the squad is capable of, and crucially he can turn games around, late on. Which is a very valuable asset in any squad...

 

If we keep playing 3 CM's then our stating winger will be Commons no doubt, but if we go back to playing 2 CM's and 2 wide players at any time, or a 4-5-1 in europe, I'm about 50/50 between Maloney or McCourt getting the other wide spot. Don't think Forrest is quite there yet.

Both fully fit I think Maloney just shades it for me, less raw talent but slightly more intelligent I feel, a more effective player over 90 minutes.

As an impact player though, there's nobody in our team better than McCourt to have coming off the bench.

Hope he stays.

 

No question he has the talent but he lacks some key attributes imo strength and fitness, but don't see much changing next season and there's no way he would/should be picked in front of Brown Kayal Ledley Commons and that's a decent midfield so looks like he will be a impact sub again witch is best for both partys he is defo a game changing player. Roll on next season when Lennon takes the huns to the cleaners

 

Paddy McCourt is one of those players who will at times make you think he should be getting more games than he does. I used to think that myself. I don't anymore. I think Paddy McCourt's role at Celtic is as a squad player/super sub and that's as much as he is ever going to be.

Sometimes Paddy will come off the bench and do something spectacular and you think to yourself 'That bhoy should be in the team most weeks if he's capable of that'. But on the occasions that McCourt has been given starts in the team he has proven to be inconsistent. The problem with starting a guy like McCourt is that he's an all-or-nothing type of player. He'll either tear the opposition to shreds or he'll be invisible. I don't think Celtic can afford to carry a player who is invisible 50% of the time.

Neil Lennon has got his usage of Paddy McCourt about right I would say. He's started McCourt in a few games here and there but is mostly using him as an impact player/super sub. I think that's the way to go.

 

Disagree but then i'm sensing deja vu with this conversation:icon_mrgreen:

 

Maloney has the 11th most game time last season in the squad. i wouldn't say he is at all past it. was up there with Ki as our best player in the first half of the season.

Maloney started three times more games than McCourt did last season. i would have him in the team over McCourt every day of the week.

as you said, he is great for the last half hour of a match. McCourt at best, is a bench player.

i don't think i am. if Celts would put him ahead of our strongest midfield of Brown, Kayal, Ledley and Commons, they need their heads checked. i can understand people frustration at Brown but the stats with him in the team when compared without him, are quite remarkable. i think we only lost one game when he was on the pitch in the SPL, if i recall correctly. i'd rather let Forrest have a go than McCourt so that Forrest can continue to grow. he started more games than McCourt as well last term.

the last point, i can agree with apart from starting him in more matches. as i've said, he is a bench player at best.

 

I like Kris Commons but let's not get carried away, he hasn't been around that long and has really only had one good half season, hopefully he'll continue to play well but let's be honest, how many of us knew anything about him before he came to Celtic? Ki is average and Brown is a good soldier.Used to think Maloney was great a few years ago but he's become a bit like Michael Owen now.

I agree that Paddy is probably more effective as a squad player but unless he gets an extended run of starts he won't be able to prove us right or wrong either way.

 

He hasn't done enough in the games he has started to suggest he should be playing week in week out, I used to tell everyone in the room who would listen that he should be starting every game but when he has started games, the majority of the time he has been invisible.

He is and always will be a great impact sub, he has the ability to tear defence to shreds but his inconsistency and injury problems will mean he will leave Celtic in the near future.

 

Kris Commons is currently our number one winger. no question about it. he has done enough in the 6 months here to show he is one of the first names on the team sheet. it's not getting carried away, it's just what the situation is at this moment of time.

i watched quite a bit of him when he was at Derby. he was good, not great. i think i can speak for all who watch Scotland and can suggest they've all seen him before his time at Celtic as he was in the Scotland squad the last few years before his move to Parkhead.

if Ki is average, McCourt is below average.

McCourt has shown over his last 3 years at the club, that he is a bench player at best.

 

if Ki is average, McCourt is below average.

 

i like paddy, but if this is what he wants, then i can see him leaving in january window, which will probably be best for both parties