http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_4041048,00.html

"I would like to honour my contract until the end - until the last day, last minute, second." "At the end of the year I will have completed eight years at the club."

"My wish is to sign another two years at Celtic. But that will be hard if I don't fit into the coach's plans. You never know in life, things can change."




Stick in there big man, keep soaking up those big wages, and enjoy that loyalty bonus coming your way at the end of the season.

Who needs to sign new players when Celtic sign players on big wages, long term.

Bad news for the Celtic fans, but it goes to show you, some players can be pr*cks.

What is the point of this topic? Fair play to him for showing such professionalism in the face of Strachan's downsizing.

As he famously said, he is the chief executive of Bobo Balde - he decides what happens, nobody else.

Had he been white, been named 'Barry Miller' or something, and began his career with the huns or Hibs then Strachan would have been falling over himself to pick him every week.

brilliant- huns trying to deflect their own inadequacies- priceless drivel- HAIL HAIL

What is the craic with Balde. While I happily agree that a club should honour a contract, and it's just unfortunate MO'N decided to tie him up on a long deal with high wages, but you would have thought the opportunity of playing first team football, in a competitive league, and one that has more money and more coverage than the SPL, would have persuaded him to move.

He's too old and not getting a guarentee of the wage he's getting at Celtic park elsewhere, he's entitled to have teh contact honoured firstly, and secondly without the snide remarks from Celtic park about it.

I suggest we pay him off like we did with Gravesen, or maybe just keep him for back up, I'd have no problem playing teh big man in a gamne

The radio at the weekend seemed to suggest he would get 2/3rds of his Celtic wage guaranteed at B'ham, with the other third dependant on him actually playing.

He is quite right. Why not get 30K a week for sitting on your fattening arse.

There's a lot of old players on large contracts at big clubs in England, and I can understand fans wanting to keep players who used to be good (once) for sentimental reasons. And, I'm all for both parties honouring contracts. However, what I find strange about the Balde situation is how some of the Celtic support seem very pleased that Balde is doing this without playing, and costing their club a lot of money in the process, making the "fault" out to be Strachan's, rather than the people who gave this old player such a long lucrative contract in the first place.

Can't blame Balde for milking it for all he can, but the double standards of the Celtic support is interesting...

Not true I'm afraid, I like Bobo, he brokered that contract himself, we all moan about players breaking contracts and becoming unhappy or mentally ill etc etc...well Bobo just wants to honour his contract. Strachan never had anything to do with it so he, or anyone at Celtic should not be casting any negativity when he honours it.

No double standards at all, incidently I blame Strachan for the issues with deek, double standards for me?

I agree with HawHaw here. Attitudes like Balde's are to be commnded and Gers fans sniggering at the idea he's just just ripping off the tattie munchers need to take a long, hard look at themselves.

I think its time Martin O'Neill was given the credit he deserves for giving Balde a long-term contract before he left...

Hail hail Martin.

keep Balde and get rid of Strachan that would be good downsizing...we need a defender and GS does not realize that...we need a quality striker too, but he's too cheap to go buy one...what a season this will be...maybe GS will move on after this one...figers crossed.

I'm not blaming Balde - if you offered me that much money to sit in the stand at his age I'd bite your hand off - he's absolutely right to milk it. I'd rather players did that than tried to engineer a big move every year - I'm glad the Celtic fans appreciate a loyal player.



Oh, it's certainly not Strachan's fault, he's blameless, but I can understand his frustration about a significant part of the weekly wage bill being taken up by someone he's not signed who isn't good enough. You could bring in at least a couple of decent SPL players for that wage, but it's interesting that the Celtic fans don't seem to criticise MON for lumbering them with Balde's contract.

Almost as bad as those get out clauses

Well for me its more that Bobo stood up to Strachan and the suits over their downsizing.

Strachan frequently appeared in the press extolling the virtues of Hartson, Sutton, Thompson, Agathe, McNamara - really great, professional Celtic players - all the while scheming behind their backs to offload them at the earliest opportunity. He tried the same sneaky antics with Bobo but was put firmly in his place by the big man.

It looks like it turned into a battle of wills after they tried to force him out and, fair play to Bobo, he was as dominant here as he was on the pitch during our epic run to Seville.

Regarding your "you could bring in a couple of decent SPL players for that wage" - that is exactly what worries me. I'd rather one Bobo than any number of Pressleys, Caldwells, Browns and Robsons.

That's what I thought you'd say

Not only does he want his £1M bonus, he wants a testimonial

I don't see why Bobo is being a p***k, he is entitled to his wage like anybody else that signs a contract. He is training everyday and if Strachan chooses not to use him then fair enough.

I bet if we arranged a testimonial for him against decent opposition it would sell well. I don't think that Celtic fans in general are that upset about Bobo, he's given us the best years of his career, and is quite rightly sticking to the contract we gave him. I'd love to free up his wage, it would bring in a another big signing, so lets make the guy a deal he can take.

Mon the Bobo!

Seems the big man has turned big eck down again


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ity/7577880.stm

If we are that desperate to get rid of him, why no just buy out his contract

Offered good wages at a club, who will likely be back in the Premiership next season, could get himself similar wages off them as hes getting at Celtic. Chances are he will also get first-team football and then get to play against the cream of England.

But he'd rather stay at Parkhead and milk the money from Celtic by sitting on his backside, then take his loyalty bonus?

Most players would jump at the chance to get to a club who should be in the Premiership the following season. (Especially considering he isn't even getting a sniff of a game of football at Parkhead).

True...he's also entitled to sit out his contract like a good professional , I have no problem with Bobo making us honour his contract

My wish is to sign another 2 years

Aye fucking jog on.