BRENDAN RODGERS has told Celtic fans to cut Olivier Ntcham a break after the midfielder had a poor game against Hibs yesterday.

The Celtic manager came to the defence of his summer signing and told the fans to be patient with a young, raw talent.

“You have to remember he’s only 21.” Said the Irishman

“But he has big talent and ability, and you have to give players time. He is only just through the door and he will get better and improve.”

Some fans are very fickle and Olivier has shown enough so far that he deserves our patience.

33 COMMENTS

  1. 100% bang on , fickle isn’t the word for some fans ! The boy is just in the door as Brendan says , give him time , same thing with Johnny Hayes, give them time , even Dembele was getting a hard time at the start last season, it’s crazy , players need time to settle into new country, surroundings, be more patient and less quick to be on their backs

  2. Personally I thought Brendan started with the wrong team, resting Roberts, Sinclair, Griffiths, when Brown and Armstrong where injured, Edouard for me was wrong choice in this game, Hibs are one of the best organised teams in the league and no pushovers, get the job done then rest the players that need it. HH,

  3. Oli has the Tools to become an absolute Brilliant Player.Knocking him wont help fgs Get behind the players,Encourage Them.We should be geatful we have a Decent Team.Give him time.It took Henrik a while to settle,Look what happened There.HH Bhoys,Proud To Be A Tim.Atleast Our Wonderful Club is Thriving And We have a Great Team and Stadium.And Our History isnt Tainted..GGAW

  4. Some of the Hysterics of so called Celtic Fans make me glad I come from another time.The words used to describe this young fella Olli are just not on.Give yourselves a shake and think before what comes out your tiny brains and big mouths.

  5. Those will be the fairweather supporters who only turn up when we are winning and were not to be seen 2 or 3 years ago when Ronny was in charge.

    We have quality young players who need developing and support not criticism for some errors in a game on social media. Put your phones in your pocket and actually cheer on your team!

  6. Totally agree. I’m sick off these people posting shit on twitter about players having a bad game, sell this one, he’s not good enough etc. It fuels the media, not to mention the the players confidence. We’re 57 games undefeated and still we get negativity. Give them a break!!!

  7. sums up a minority of our so called fans , brendan is correct , he will show his worth and do a good job for celtic , think he is a bit to anciouse at times , but i like brendan can see the potential and quality in this young man , so to all the fans who like to throw there rattles out the pram , show how much you realy love our great team , by taking the good and the bad , remember these bhoys and brendan , have got us here to this position , onwards and upwards , god bless brendan and the bhoys , and good luck to all xxx.

    • Couldn’t agree more Patricia.Until the game is played by robots then humans are going to have times when things struggle.I thank God we have Brendan and not Coyle,Mccarthy or Mackay.Ntcham has the skill,in my opinion to be a first class addition to the middle of the park and while he may not have had the best 3 games I believe we have a player here.HH.

  8. Oli could equally as likely end up at Partick Thistle than he will at a big club. He has been absolutely woeful in more than half the games he has played for Celtic. I love the argument that he is only 21! if you are not regularly playing at the top level by the time you are 21 the chances are you are not going to make it. it is a weak argument. Fair enough, he is a new country at a big club but he has not just been missing or off the pace he has been a complete liability in the last three games he has played. He was woeful against PSG in a team that were woeful and he has hardly put a foot right since. he even looked lost against Dundee and made a number of very stupid tackles. On Saturday he was approaching shameful and this was especially apparent as he was playing in the same midfield as a guy we could have had for between a half and a third of the price. If Oli was Scottish and cost 1 million pounds he would not be the ‘poor wee lamb’ that is being protected. I feel transfer fees are a touchy point for Rodgers because of the accusation that he wasted the best part of 300 million at Liverpool (inaccurate he wasn’t the only one that made a complete pig’s ear of it it was a committee but he played his part). Some of the guys that were signed for Liverpool at this time were breath-taking. He may turn out good but I would not bet one pound on it at the moment. But he does not look like a 4.5 million pound player. He needs 4 weeks in the u20s but Rodgers will persevere with him because of the money spent. He played a great pass to Tierney in Brussels but only because their entire defence went missing. Rodgers was just about to hook him as he was like someone playing his first game up to that. And I mean of football. He misplaced something 8 simple passes in the first half hour a better team could have used the gifts better. And Yogi, try thinking for yourself instead of just accepting the ‘In Brendan we trust ‘ mantra of the brainless. Anyone with eyes can see that this boy is struggling. He may come out of it or he may not. he may be as good as he is going to get. We simply don’t know. However, he should be nowhere near the first team for the next 3 or 4 games. His performances indicate he should be dropped. Rodgers makes mistakes. I have a sneaky feeling Oli may be one of them. McGinn is a much better player and celtic should have signed him in the summer. But he is not a foreigner and is not from the EPL. But Celtic should attempt to sign him in January, but he will cost twice as much now. Also I would question any supporter who thinks it is OK for a Celtic team to contain a player repeatedly, for weeks on end, who is clearly struggling and who appears not be be able to cut it. Explain to me the instances that Ntcham has demonstrated that he has the tools to become a brilliant player and I will give you two that indicates he will not. I am old enough to remember teams from the 70s, 80s and 90s. In the 90s we had players playing badly for weeks on end and could not drop them. They dragged the entire club down. When celtic were good in the 70s and the 80s (less so) players would be dropped for under=performing. It is why you have a squad. Keep people on their toes. Where is Kouassi? He must be due a start? These guys play football for a living, settling into a new country? Fair enough but he has been here 3 months. And as for Johnny Hayes, he should never have been at Celtic in the first place. Christie should never have been allowed to go to Aberdeen and Hayes coming to Glasgow. That is crazy. Hayes is an SPL player. And clearly demonstrates this every time he pulls on a Celtic shirt. Get him to Cardiff in January, get a mil for him and be done with it.

    • First point is…Because I have an opinion which is foriegnome to yours does not make me brainless.Second,I don’t subscribe to the ‘In Brendan we trust’.Don’t know where or why you arrived at that one since you don’t know me.Third point is you gave an opinion that I don’t agree with but you are entitled to do son. A little Humility would be appreciated the next time you make unfounded and Personal comments.

      • I am totally with you on that Yogi.
        Your comments and those of Charlie, TocTic, Paul and Patricia were very positive and like you I am not impressed when folk get personal and name call for no reason.

  9. Just a wee comment for windbag John. You talk some Craig Whyte pal. Obviously never kicked a ball in your life. Probably good at skipping ropes though. N’tcham will be a top player for us ya diddy.

  10. There are some excellent, positive and considerate comments above, which I was delighted to read. Positivity is creative while negativity is destructive. Positive criticism can be fruitful, but any criticism must be based on facts not opinion.

    I remember some clown shouting abuse at Henryk Larson’s first game (after his pass to wee Chick) and telling everybody who would listen, that Larsson was not fit to play for Celtic and never would be. As a manager in Secondary Education, I have seen this negativity often in the work place. I found it incredibly interesting, as well as sad, that those who were negative and quick to point out the errors from others, were more often than not deflecting attention from their own errors.

    There are a sizeable number of the support who are quick to blame the players and who often concentrate on mistakes rather than the strengths, especially the strength of character. The greatest joy I had in Education was to see both staff and pupils benefit from positive support.

    I think we are lucky to have players such as Olivier and a Management team, such as Brendan and his team.

  11. Guys everybody has an opinion about this boy, he said he was a box to box player, sorry not seen this in him yet. Ive not been impressed by him at all but hope he proves me wrong. Yes we judge players early but I don’t think he has it to continue getting a game. Henderson has ability as well and I actually think he is better than oil. That is my own opinion.

  12. Never said you were brainless Yogi said the mantra is brainless. You however, advised supporters to ‘give themselves a shake and think about what comes out of their tiny brains and big mouths’. Presumably for having the temerity to criticise a player for woefully under-performing over a period of about 4 or 5 weeks. i have never said that Ntcham will definitely not make it, i have serious doubts, but this he is only 21 and it takes time stuff is nonsense. I have supported Celtic long enough to have seen a procession of players, some with big reputations, come in and have a reasonably bad start and they seldom recover. i am not talking about one game but a few bad games and they never bounce back. This boy needs to be dropped, for the good of the team and for his own good. he should not be risked against Bayern, Hibs and Aberdeen. If fit Armstrong is a much better player. if not fit Celtic would be foolish to start with him, particularly in Europe where he has been awful in the first two games. MAybe he will bounce back and become the player that the supporters are being told he will become. In the league games he has played, he has not shown much. Pretty poor at Thistle, Dundee and on Saturday.

    • Fair enough John…We can agree to disagree.I made a sweeping statement of some supporters but not a personal one at anybody in particular.I am away for an extra cold Guinness. All the.best.?

  13. John, Olivier hasn’t underperformed for 4 or 5 weeks yesterday first half hour on wed and first half against st.Johnstone rest of time imo he’s been excellent. Whole team were poor against PSG but he and broony were only 2 who kept asking for ball and being really brave trying to make things happen. Astana home and away he was outstanding and on at least 4 occasions yesterday he played passes to where Hayes should have been but the wee man chose to stand still and hide in plain sight. Ad rather have a guy who never hides, shows for ball and keeps asking for it and trying things than guys who hide. As for some of our fans yesterday they were a disgrace booing the team and manager and screaming at them, 58 unbeaten, in champs league again, 3 points after 2 games and in cup semis and top of league, wow were really bad aren’t we HH.

  14. Maybe we’ll just leave things to Brendan eh! In 63 years of following Celtic it never ceases to amaze me how many negative fuds we seem to attract as would be supporters. We have continually carried in the region of 20k who are there only for the good times and ready to talk down players at the drop of a hat. Last year it was Callum McGregor. Now apparently a superstar. Surprised the moaners haven’t been on Tom Rogic’s case who has been much worse than ON in the last two games.

    • Robert,The Younger Celtic Fans of today is a totally different entity of when we were their age.They represent a society and culture which doesn’t have patience or tolerance at the top of the list.Even allowing for this some of the nonsense they write on Social media beggars belief.They are handing Ammunition to an already hostile group of people .They don’t know they are lucky or what they got.Jock would say we have to win to get a draw from most Ref.and he never said a truer word.?

  15. Also Ntcham was excellent against thistle , controlled whole tempo and flow of the game for 75 mins and against Dundee he was ok not bad nor excellent but ok no frills. Differing opinions that’s what makes us all the people we are, all the best to you all HH.

  16. John,Ntcham has it in him,Time will tell.Armstrong isnt here for the long haul.pinins are healthy,I so happen to think he will come good,If he doesnt?He doesnt,I recall the similar convos regarding Larsson back in the Day.HH…..Armstrong isnt here for the long haul.He will be off soon enough.Followed Celtic long enough to know a player when i see one.Have a goody

  17. I have watched Ntcham in every game and he does not look look a 4 million pound player. If anyone can tell me what he has done to deserve that fee despite sign for Man city or what he has done to deserve the easy ride he is getting then I am all ears. He looks no different to the average SPL player. And your comments about Larsson are lies. I don’t recall anyone bar the real idiots who were disparaging about Larsson after one or two games. By the same amount of time into his Celtic career Larsson was beginning to turn it on. I hope the boy makes it but I see nothing in him that suggests he is worth the fee paid for him. And supporters are right to highlight his performance yesterday as it was another woeful performance and about the 5th or 6th in a row. But do you know what it is? The league is too easy and we cab afford to carry passengers. Rodgers would not be able to make the same comments if there was any danger in losing the league. The boy would be dropped. I have a feeling he will become a whipping boy for the supporters and will not recover. Before you start on me for being a supporter who gets on the back of a player, I have never booed or criticised a Celtic player at games , never would, I reserve any criticism for the pub. McGinn of Hibs is a far superior player and is only a year older. Celtic will regret not signing him and the danger is he goes south as Celtic persevere with Ntcham. Be honest. Nycham is not a replacement for Brown McGinn would have been.

  18. There are different opinions Stevie but Ntcham was brutal against Dundee. He kept giving it away his control was awful and he was forced on more than one occasion because of his inability to control the ball and make a simple pass to lunge into tackles, one he could have been sent off for, as Celtic players in the past have been. i would say he was average against Thistle and no more. But 4.5 million?

  19. I think we are all just being spoilt for choice.We should be Rejoicing in our Great Club Undefeated in 58 Games.How much would any other Team in the SPL give to have that!!!!!!I for one am Absolutely proud of that fact.Onwards and Upwards.HH GGAW!!!

  20. I am happy of course but as Rodgers knows we need to get better to really compete in Europe, which is all that counts. %8 games unbeaten is phenomenal but it also tells another story we are playing against garbage week in week out. We gain nothing by being undefeated in 1058 games in Scotland! We will be judged on europe alone. As we should be.

  21. Ntcham has had his moments,John.Thats a given,I have watched and i have thought to myself wtf is he doing.Given the ball away to easily or making the wrong pass or falling short in a pass,But i have seen glimpses of a good player in there,I can see were your coming from m8.But i do think he will come good,We will know soon enough.McGinn is another beast altogether,He would be a direct replacement for Broony,Without a Doubt.The young guy knows his stuff,If we cant get him in the next window,Big lost oportunity.Kouassi wtf is going on with that Guy.Is he at Celtic on Holiday,Isnt he just a Site Seer.There is definitely something not right with signing Kouassi.He hasnt really featured,Period.Meant to be a great player,How long does it take to settle into a Club.He wasnt Cheap,Either.HH

  22. I’m just happy we are where we are, and that shower across the city, are in the mess they are in. 58 unbeaten is amazing, no matter what league your playing in and all I say is long may it continue. The comment a few before about us only being rated for what we do in Europe seemed to be true for me too until I read people ((mostly English critics & English ex-players)) saying we STILL never proved a thing after going to Anderlecht and winning against the Champions of Belgium 3-0, at their own ground too…. That’s what REALLY pisses ME off. Just because they idiots down there don’t rate our league, whenever we go to, what at any other time for these idiots, is a decent footballing country fir teams, but as soon as Celtic go there and win convincingly, all of a sudden, their teams are no longer up to much if we beat them so easily. I don’t care what anybody says, we ARE definitely getting stronger, teams from other countries aren’t getting weaker, because 10-15 years ago the thought of playing absolutely ANYONE away in Europe terrified me, but with our results from Man City and Monchengladbach last year, and from Rosenberg and Anderlecht already this year, I’m feeling a LOT better about us travelling to places and bringing back a result, and I mean places that are realistic to get results from. It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve embarrassed their English teams, home and away, they will never EVER give us ANY credit anyway. Long may it continue that’s all I’ll say. H.H

  23. Sevco are in a Battle with the Mighty St Johnston for 3rd at the moment.What i find hilarious is Sevco actually think they are Oldco and there Gullible fans think They are still a force.Legends in there own Minds.How they are getting to keep Tainted Successes from a Dead Club,Really really does show how desperate it is to be a Hun.As Brassneck McLeish stated,By Hook or By Crook.They have to stop us Doin 10 In A Row.That statement alone shows just how corrupt the rotten to the Core they actually are!!!HH..The Crumble Dome Over Govan Way,Welcome to the Twilight Zone.Theyre living in LaLa Land.

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