Stuart Armstrong

Right, mate. There's just so much guessing going on, but really we don't actually know anything. Personally I reckon he'll sign a new contract and I'm not particularly surprised that negotiations are taking a while. I mean, don't get me wrong, I won't be totally shocked if he doesn't sign one (in which case, we have to sell); I just see no reason yet not to think positively here.

Well, I dunno, mate. We can certainly replace him with a player of similar or better quality; but they won't be Scottish or Irish. As I get older, I'm coming to agree more and more with the folk who say every great Celtic side has a good core of Scottish and Irish players. He would be a loss TBH.

Thing is, all 3 have plied their trade in the EPL (in Brendan's case, right at the top of the EPL!). They know what it's like, the good and the bad and can make an informed decision. If SA wants to experience that for himself, I don't think we can hold that against him.

 

Whenever this has happened in the past it's not ended well. So the board know the drill by now. £10million with a while left in the window could throw up a few surprises. Armstrong never hid from the fact he sees Celtic as a stepping stone and if he's that deluded then i'd take the cash and say, thanks for the good times, but your Celtic career is now over and you've got nobody to blame but yourself. Harsh, but football works this way. If you want a move away your agent doesn't want to meet the club. Then your hands are tied. They don't want to negotiate means they don't want to find a middle ground either, so it's tricky. Another good season at Celtic, you let his contract run down, pay the money, or see what Brendan can do with £10million. The truth is Celtic want to offer him a new deal and he doesn't want to sign. Not the first time it's happened at Celtic, with a number of players in the past using a similar tactic. So it's not on the fans or the board, offers been made and it seems the guy thinks of himself as the best player at Celtic, that's the point i'd do the deal, roll the dice and go spend the cash while their is still time in the window.

 

I just don't get why any Celtic player who is a main part of our team would want to leave Celtic, during what I believe to be the most exciting time in recent history.

I don't believe Armstrong would want to leave while Rodgers is here, but I may be wrong. Yes he might earn double his money elsewhere but what harm would staying an extra couple of seasons and seeing what this team can achieve with its potential?

I hope he does stay and realises what both him and Celtic can achieve, bit if he doesn't then I believe we will still move forward, while Armstrong might realise that the grass isn't always greener down in the "wonderful" Premier League'

 

I think he'll sign a new deal as he likes it here.

 

But that is a fan's way of thinking, players often have a different thought process.

For about a decade (from the early-mid 90s), my wife worked with a number of EPL clubs, the Premier league and the Professional footballers' Association. It was quite an eye opener to find out how mercenary and cynical many people in the game are. Young boys enter what are now Academies with wide eyes and big dreams, and most have it knocked out of them within a couple of years, to be replaced by a cynical "professional" attitude.

I'm not saying everyone ends up this way, but the vast majority do, as in order to "make it" in the game, it helps to have a ruthless streak of self preservation.

 

S'appenin all.
New member here, Aussie Dan, survived living in the Brig a few years back, got wrapped up in the Celtic way of life, from Aus, based in Europe now so try to go to as many Celtic games over here as possible.

Couldn't help but ask SA at the BW Linz game about signing a new contract, he felt pretty sincere with an "aye mate hopefully, hopefully"

He's a smart guy, hopefully, he signs on!

 

Ever been to the Yabba mate?

 

I hope you are right. He really could just be holding out as long as possible to use the fact that he can get 3x the wage in England as a point to make sure Celtic offer their absolute most- which is fair enough. I had him down as future captain material.

 

Nah mate! No idea

 

You provide him with a final offer, give him a deadline by which he must respond by, and if the contract isn't signed then we sell. There's no point in us letting him run down his contract and leave for nothing or leave us in a position where we need to panic buy with days to go.

It's disappointing that he's not signed a new deal, putting my opinion as a fan to one side I believe he's making a mistake. We're a team on the ascendancy and he's an important part of that. Another year in the CL would do a lot of good for his development, especially when you consider his best football was player in the second half of last season.

 

Nah mate! No idea

 

Bundanyabba! Forever immortalised in the movie Wake in Fright (1971) by Ted Kotcheff. Get it watched if you haven't seen it, possibly the greatest Australian movie ever and one of the absolute great movies of the 1970's. Notorious for it's Kangaroo hunting scene.

Welcome to the forum

 

That I can believe, but I also think it comes down to the individual as you said. You are either the type of person who wants to achieve trophies and footballing achievements whilst earning a decent wage or you want to earn as much as you can seeing it as financial achievements and accepting you might not win trophies.
I understand footballers have a life to live and families to look after, but I also believe that there are lots of footballers out there who have chosen the financial gain option and may be better off but not totally fulfilled with their own achievements in the game.
As I said I hope Armstrong stays for both himself and Celtic but if not I believe we will move onwards and upwards.

 

This. If he hasn't signed this week, as everyone will be back by now I would imagine, I have a feeling he is for the off sadly. Imo he would be better signing a new deal (pay rise for him) and insert a buy out clause, this may be the problem as we wont want to set a (low) figure and his advisers wont want a high figure either.

 

It's not always about money versus trophies/glory either.

Many clubs actively seek to knock the "living the dream" fantasy out of their Youth team players, and encourage (brainwash) them to think of it as a job. It's not surprising that many players fall out of love with the game, as many clubs don't encourage their players to enjoy the life of a professional sportsman, but to view it as a chore.

I like to think of Celtic as being more than just a football result machine, as representing something of higher value. Sometimes I fear that I'm deluding myself, which is why I clutch at characters like KT, who seem to have maintained their childhood perspective.

 

The last I heard, was Rodgers saying he wants to stay. Sure I read it on here last week. What's changed? Why are we all suggesting he's for the off?

 

I'm not too worried about it. I'm pretty sure Brown let his go to about 6 months before signing his big contract. I'm sure Armstrong is just strengthening his position for a better deal.
I think he'll renew.

 

Really really really hope so!!!

 

Interestingly(disclaimer this is subjective) an anagram of his name is Arrogant Mr Stust.