Ryan Christie

[Naelifts]

Not strictly an ICT topic I know, but does anyone have any vibes about whether he is happy in Glasgow? He will have been well advised on what he was signing up for and his lack of first team football can hardly come as a surprise. I guess a loan will be the next move. I just feel that this element of Scottish football is so depressing. With Celtic continuing to invest in a ( surely forlorn) bid to conquer Europe, I can see him appearing very seldom. He is a big miss

[RiG]

I got stupidly excited when I saw this topic appear. Feel a wee bit let down now 

Eight games in nine months for the kid. What a waste of talent. I'm sure he will be happy but I bet he's also wishing he was playing more often. Wouldn't be surprised to see him move on loan later in the season.

Edited September 20, 2016 by RiG

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Unfortunately this is typical of the Scottish football mentality and the continuing demise of Scotland on the international scene. To me this was always about Cellic wishing to prevent him making his mark in Scotland and falling prey to the likes of Aberdire, Jam Tarts or Sevco.

[CableGuy]

He must have known what he was in for, he only had to ask his old fella for first hand experience!

It was always going to be an exciting "not to miss out on" opportunity for him going to Celtic, moving to Glasgow and taking that next step, but it was always inevitably going to end up with him warming the bench up for the majority of the coming seasons. He would have been better staying at ICT, at least for another season, get more starting games under his belt, build up his fitness and strength and then let the clubs come calling, which they would have done again. He should come back to us under loan

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Relation - CC is his father 

[cif73]

Ryan probably has several thousand reasons a week to be not too disappointed just yet ... although naturally he'd no doubt like to play as well. For the football fan (especially of an ICT persuasion), it's pretty depressing that such wonderful talent is spending most games warming the bench. 

[TopSix]

Can't blame him for leaving. If he invests his wages in property he'll be set for life. I'd love to see him back on loan with us though. Great player. 

[lightwelter]

I'm a little surprised that he's getting no game time whatsoever recently. I saw him in Celtic's friendly against Inter and he looked very good. Would love to see him come back here on loan but I can't see it. He's a wonderful talent and has the potential to be a future Scottish international. The national team don't have many players that can unlock a defence like he can. 

[Charles Bannerman]

5 hours ago, TopSix said:

I'd love to see him back on loan with us though.

I'm sure a great number of ICT fans would think the same, but this does beg a couple of questions. Firstly, is the manager still looking for (ie have the budget left for) a midfielder? And secondly, if he was/did... I'm never very sure how clubs go about sorting the wages of loan players but in the event of any hypothetical loan deal, what chance would ICT have of being able to pay more than a modest slice of what Ryan is presumably now on at Celtic?

Edited September 20, 2016 by Charles Bannerman

[bdu98196]

Just one of several Celtic signings from the last few seasons, purely to weaken opposition, trip them of talent, limit potential future sales income and stop any team in Scotland getting them - Armstrong, Mackay-Steven, Ciftci, Allen, Christie - even under the previous management regime that signed them there was limited game time. Its hard to see where these players may it now under the new manager considering the positions he has signed. The likes of Christie and those who haven't left Celtic yet will most likely end up in English lower league obscurity like those before, although with the big step up in salary on offer you can see why these boys sign up - a few years at Celtic and they are well set for life.

[+Gringo]

The £££ signs rule I'm afraid and who can blame these young players for wanting it? It is a sad time for football in general these days as its all about the money. I feel sorry for Ryan in a way and was saddened that he took the carrot but, as I said, who could blame him at the prospect of a bulging bank account. Clubs like Celtic rule the roost I'm afraid and have bigger carrot's to dangle than the real teams of Scottish football.

[Charles Bannerman]

1 hour ago, Gringo said:

The £££ signs rule I'm afraid and who can blame these young players for wanting it? It is a sad time for football in general these days as its all about the money.

An even more extreme example of this is in the Highland League where players will go to certain over-resourced clubs for sums which totally dwarf their effort and ability levels as well as those at which they are playing, rather than play in the lower National leagues.

I'm not sure, though, if enough recognition has been given in earlier posts to the possibility that Ryan Christie might actually have the potential to play a major part at Celtic Park within quite a short timescale. The unfortunate presumption seems to be that the move was some kind of mistake motivated purely by some cynical motive on Celtic's part.

Edited September 21, 2016 by Charles Bannerman

[bdu98196]

10 minutes ago, Charles Bannerman said:

I'm not sure, though, if enough recognition has been given in earlier posts to the possibility that Ryan Christie might actually have the potential to play a major part at Celtic Park within quite a short timescale. The unfortunate presumption seems to be that the move was some kind of mistake motivated purely by some cynical motive on Celtic's part.

Looking at the facts based on previous game time from the manager who signed him and now with a new regime yet with Dembele as the only fit striker due to injury to Griffiths, Ryan is still not getting game time. In the attacking/ creative midfield he is somewhere behind Sinclair, Roberts, Forrest, Armstrong and appears to be fighting it out with Commons and Mackay-Steven. Nobody is suggesting he cant play a part just the facts suggest that its not going to be easy for the lad and history suggests that the longer he is sitting on the sidelines the further his career will fall away.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

I wonder if Ryan might not have been better going to an English Championship or even EL 1 side, with the prospect of regular first team football.  But, I suppose, even that might not have been guaranteed.  It certainly has done nothing for Andrew Shinnie's career at Birmingham, nor for Billy Mckay at Wigan and Oldham.  However, both Sam Winnall and Marley Watkins seem able (when fit)  to command a place in the starting X1 at Barnsley, who are performing well in the Championship. 

[The Long Man]

It's a crying shame that just at the time a young, developing player needs to be involved and playing regularly, he cannot get a regular first team game. Of course you can understand the lure of the 'big time', and maybe he will get a chance this year, but I always though he left us prematurely and would have benefitted enormously from another season of first team football here. And then he could have picked from a more appropriate range of suitors. I thought Hughes was over eager to get Ryan out of the door, with him virtually holding up a 'for sale' sign in interviews, and the way Celtic waited until the last day of the transfer window was particularly cynical. He was still developing his game, and you worry that that will be stunted in the Celtic reserves. Same with Mackay Steven who I thought showed great promise. Although maybe there is a case for signing the best of young talent, it seems counter-productive, and a great disservice to the players themselves, that they get stuck in limbo - some of them will eventually get discarded, and will have wasted precious time. It weakens the Scottish game and the players themselves. Who knows what the answer is, but there must be a better development plan for our brightest and best. Limited squad numbers?

Edited September 21, 2016 by The Long Man

[Scotty]

This is one of the things I have hated about the green and blue teams of Glasgow for a long time because not only does it affect the domestic league, and the players themselves, but it also has a trickle down effect to our national team. They have (had) the resources to asset strip other clubs in Scotland for their best young talent at cheap prices and with rare exception they then let those youngsters languish in the reserves or sit on the bench where they are just picking up a wage but not playing. Players who were promising or exciting at other clubs then fade away into obscurity and what might have been a potentially successful career and a future as a decent international player just kind of fizzles out. I hope this does not happen to Ryan.  

I cant blame Ryan for going to Celtic. Quite apart from the money - and its a short career so he does have to look after #1 - the Christie household, including Ryan are all fans so its a bit of a no-brainer when the opportunity arose. Its certainly a step up and I think most of us here - as well as his Dad and his coaches - would probably agree that he has a special talent and given his chance he could shine in any team in the SPL including Celtic, but it will take something spectacular (or catastrophic) for him to get that chance in the first team as fielding a Scottish player is just not as sexy as fielding someone else from another country (even England) who has cost several mi££ion to sign. 

I am hoping somehow he does get into the team, and that he gets a chance to shine ... I reckon that's all he will need as his talent can and will propel him forward from that point. 

[alternative maryhill]

My impression is that Rodgers sees - or certainly saw -  something in him: he was used a lot in pre-season, and started the first European game, in Gibraltar. By most accounts, though, he was noticeably poor in a very poor team performance - maybe partly nerves and partly being used in a position, coming in off wide left, that's not his best. That probably didn't help his chances, but nevertheless, although he's been on and off the bench since, there was no talk of him going on loan in August, whereas apparently Mackay-Steven and Armstrong would both have been encouraged to go had the deals been right.

The biggest problem he's got, as people have pointed out, is that he's competing for places in the area where Celtic are by far at their strongest. Rodgers obviously was under pressure to deliver results and impressive-looking signings straight away, and went for Sinclair, who justified his faith immediately and is an obvious starter given the level he's played at; Rogic is a bit ahead of Christie in terms of time spent with the squad and Celtic first-team games, and he's looked very comfortable in the number 10 role; and players who might have been expected to leave, like Forrest and, apparently, in the last month, Armstrong especially, seem to have had a new lease of life under Rodgers. Rodgers is on record as having said that since the Armstrong loan deal fell through, he's realised that Armstrong's best position is as a number 10; this is potentially bad news for Christie, as he's now got at least two direct competitors for his best position. Things move fast in football, so having been in the plans in August, it may be that come January, he will be advised to go on loan - and he should probably go.

BTW, while I think he's easily talented enough to make it at that level in the longer term, I'm not sure if the English Championship in the second half of the season would be the best place for a player who is still quite young and lacking competitive match practice - the pressure could be absolutely enormous if he's at a team at either end of the division, and it might not do his confidence any good if things don't go well. If they are facing competition at the top of the Scottish Championship, however, I could see possibly see Hibs going for him, given the Lennon-Celtic connection; a step down, for sure, but it would potentially keep his profile high in Scotland and allow him, potentially, to be a player who makes the difference.

Whatever happens, I really, really hope that before the end of this season, he's back playing regularly somewhere - it would be awful if such a talent was allowed to dwindle.      

[dougiedanger]

It's still early in the season, lots can happen yet, and he does seem to be featuring on the bench, which is something of an achievement given the size of the squad. Also seems to be a willing and quick learner.

[The Mantis]

He had a decent game in the recent U21 International against FYR Macedonia. First half especially, I had forgotten what brilliant pace he had.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

[ictfcsince94]

Played a key part in tonight's goal v Alloa

[+DoofersDad]

I've never been convinced Christie has what it takes to be a top player although he clearly has real talent.  One of the problems for him here was that he emerged just as Hughes was taking over and therefore was restricted by a system which put possession before creative flair.  Last season, despite alarm and even anger at his departure, we actually did better after he left, and whilst there may be other reasons for that, the fact remains that we didn't really miss him in the context of the type of football we were playing.  It would be interesting to see how he played if you replaced him for Vigurs in the current team under Foran's much more positive approach.

Had he stayed an extra year with us I firmly believe he would have developed more as a player due to regular match day experience and the confidence that being a key player in a side brings.  Yes, he will no doubt get a chance or two to impress at Celtic but unless he immediately shines he will not be able to command a regular starting place.  Had he stayed here an extra year and then moved to Celtic, a first team place might have been his to lose rather one to grasp for.  At the moment, he is too far down the pecking order at Celtic and for his sake I hope that he is put out on loan to get regular first team football.  If he doesn't, then I fear he will become yet another of football's promising youngsters who, for a few short years, get paid a lot of money for playing very little football.  He could have been a legend had he stayed here.  Instead, in a few years time, I fear he may be Ryan who? to Celtic fans.

Here's hoping I'm proved wrong.

[dougiedanger]

Did well tonight, set up the goal, will take his chance and is doing all the right things. 

[caleyboy]

9 hours ago, DoofersDad said:

I've never been convinced Christie has what it takes to be a top player although he clearly has real talent.  One of the problems for him here was that he emerged just as Hughes was taking over and therefore was restricted by a system which put possession before creative flair.  Last season, despite alarm and even anger at his departure, we actually did better after he left, and whilst there may be other reasons for that, the fact remains that we didn't really miss him in the context of the type of football we were playing.  It would be interesting to see how he played if you replaced him for Vigurs in the current team under Foran's much more positive approach.

Had he stayed an extra year with us I firmly believe he would have developed more as a player due to regular match day experience and the confidence that being a key player in a side brings.  Yes, he will no doubt get a chance or two to impress at Celtic but unless he immediately shines he will not be able to command a regular starting place.  Had he stayed here an extra year and then moved to Celtic, a first team place might have been his to lose rather one to grasp for.  At the moment, he is too far down the pecking order at Celtic and for his sake I hope that he is put out on loan to get regular first team football.  If he doesn't, then I fear he will become yet another of football's promising youngsters who, for a few short years, get paid a lot of money for playing very little football.  He could have been a legend had he stayed here.  Instead, in a few years time, I fear he may be Ryan who? to Celtic fans.

Here's hoping I'm proved wrong.

Wow! Cream always comes to the top and Ryan will become one of, if not the best talent to come from this area. It may not happen with Celtic but this boy will get there.

[wynthank15]

Why all the concern over whether Christie will make it at Celtic or not? I don't care. I don't want to see him score against us or rip our defence to shreds, he is no longer our player. I supported his dad when he played for us not when he played for Celtic.I said when Vigurs arrived he would score more goals than Christie, he may not be as good a player but he will score more goals. Given the choice I would have kept Watkins rather than Christie but he's gone too so forget him, get behind the guys that wear our jerseys.