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Agudelo set for training stint with Celtic

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

Fresh off an impressive substitute’s appearance for the U.S. Men’s National Team, Chivas USA forward Juan Agudelo is now set for a training stint with Scottish champion Celtic.

Agudelo’s agent, Ron Waxman, confirmed the training stint via Twitter on Thursday, stating that Agudelo’s training stint would begin on Friday.

Agudelo is no stranger to training stints in Europe, having spent time with Liverpool and Stuttgart last winter.

What do you think of this development? Glad to hear another young American is spending time with a good European club? Hoping he moves to Europe on a permanent basis this summer?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. So are people saying Celtic is a great team because they beat Barca. Really so were last seasons Granada and Osasuna teams great because i remember they also beat Barca.

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  2. What does “training with Celtic” actually mean? In the past, US players would go to Europe for such stints to train with top clubs only to end up training with the reserves or youth squads.

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    • Fair point. When people come trial with the Dynamo, or go to Europe to train, you sometimes hear that the timing was all off, and like they come on the day of a game, the team takes the next day off, they train three or four days, have a Saturday game.

      At minimum, it would be part of the argument for a long trial or loan where one is actually integrated in the reserve and/or first teams. To me a week’s training is more like shop window, here’s your look, want to buy?

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  3. 1. Agudelo is only going to train with Celtic, a top team in the SPL, that is IN TOP FORM
    2. You go for training to a top flight team for improvement, in Technical ability, Fitness, knowledge of the game etc (thats why even “bottom of the league” team players in the SPL, EPL, Serie A don’t come to MLS to train, because the want to improve).
    3. Surprisingly I dont know why I have to say this but SPL is better than MLS
    4. Top players in the world, some from the SPL, come to MLS (when they do) to play before they retire…key word *Retire*……and are still dominant….Kris Boyd (left rangers 2010), Kenny Miller (left rangers 2011)
    5.SPL sends more players to the EPL for trials in a year than MLS has in 10 years
    6. Boca, the captain of the USMNT, trained/played with 4 tier Rangers (Scotland) after their relegation, then was loaned to Racing de Santander (Spain second division), rather than come to MLS to be a Designated Player……this should tell you about the current level of our league
    7. More money = Better players = Better league

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    • Rangers FC (1872) weren’t relegated, they were liquidated and a new company was formed with some of their assets. Thus “The Rangers” (2012), or SevCo Scotland 5088,” had to enter the SFA at the lowest level, seeing as they’re a new team.

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    • “3. Surprisingly I dont know why I have to say this but SPL is better than MLS”

      How would you prove that? What are your criteria? It certainly can’t be fiscal soundness or repsonsibility.

      Put a lot of money and media attention on the line, get both teams healthy, with all their players available and in mid season form (like next week) I’ll bet you the Galaxy could take Celtic two out of three.

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  4. Always makes me smile how many keyboard critics are so quick to try and demean any league they see as “inferior” vs another. Just once, I would love to see one of you follow an ” (insert league here) sucks!” comment with an “and here is video of me training with (insert league team here) as proof that I actually know wtf I’m talking about!”. haha Carry on.

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    • UEFA ranks every league in Europe. The SPL regularly finishes about 16th or lower.

      The problem is, that ranking is a cumulative one for the entire league.

      Celtic is clearly way above many of bottom half teams in that division and is likely better than many teams in leagues ranked higher than the SPL.

      Additionally, there are no similar ranking that I am aware of that compare MLS to the UEFA leagues or any other. The only leagues MLS can fairly be compared to by fans are those that they play in the CONCACAF champions league and even those comparisons are shaky because not every team is at the same point in it’s season.

      The only sensible way to compare teams is to compare individual teams not the leagues they play in.

      One other problem is that those UEFA rankings are only for the top division in the country. Ther are many teams in the Championship for example that would represent themselves well against teams from top divisions in other countries.

      Should Agudelo wind up playing for Celtic it would give him a boost but not the same kind of boost he would get if he played for Ajax or Lyon for example. The usually get knocked out early in the Champions League so Juan would mostly face other SPL teams only. At the end of the day it’s all about making sure that all the variables at the club are right for Juan.

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  5. It’s just a training stint for the off-season. Many MLS players go train with other teams like Arsenal or whoever. Agudelo will be back, but he should pick up a bit of form training with Celtic.

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  6. It’s just simple training and something I’d like to see more of with young MLS players.

    I am a Union fan and they have McMath training with Everton (2nd year in a row), Hernandez with Real Sociadad, and McLaughlin with Hoffenheim (I think Zach Pfeffer went over there last year). It’s to get better coaching/experience in the offseason to benefit the MLS players and teams, and for the European teams to get a better look at a player they could want later.

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    • hit send too quickly….

      just last season the Union sent

      Danny Mwanga (Aston Villa), Zac MacMath (Everton), Freddy Adu (Rayo Vallecano), Amobi Okugo (SC Freiburg) and Zach Pfeffer (Hoffenheim).

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    • I think there are injury risks and also the Landon risk of placing a player between his current employer and a new suitor. But Agudelo is young and might be able to handle less offseason rest, and also might be able to convert the experience into a foothold on the February rosters. That MLS is heading towards offseason complicates calling in players who were peaking at the end of season, next year. Gotta build the fitness and form back up. I don’t necessarily like these kinds of training stints and loans but for him it might be worth the risk, if he can avoid injury.

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  7. Scotland is amazing, just look at the great DPs in MLS: Robson and Miller in Vancouver, totally rescued that team since joining halfway through the season, they went from being an awful team that lost every game and couldn’t buy a goal to one of the most exciting teams around. And Boyd in Portland, he turned them from one of the worst teams in the league to a team in playoff contention. And of course the Scottish national team beat the US 5-1 with the Americans only managing an own goal.

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      • Try getting some perspective before making uneducated posts like this. Robson and Miller are both several years past their primes. Boyd had a solid year in MLS. Regarding the Scotland – USA game, Scotland was missing its three best players. Did they really even look interested in playing? Scotland is a country of 10 million people. They produce some good footballers and have a good league for a country of that size. How many countries can you name that are smaller that consistently produce better footballers, 3 or 4? How about a smaller country with a better league? Probably just 1. Wow, you must feel big picking on a small but proud country, very bold.

  8. Celtic has won my heart after its gutsy performance against Barcelona a few weeks ago at Camp Nou in the Champions League (losing a heartbreaker in the last seconds), and then two weeks later with an epic win against Barcelona 2-1. I love this team now, and how can you not like a player like Georgios Samaras and the other guys on Celtic who play with total heart totally every second on the field.

    My point is, I would love to see Juan Agudelo or any other US player move to Celtic. Would be great. But Celtic just extended the contract of Wunderkind Tony Watt, the 18-year-old who scored the winning goal against Barcelona and would have had a second but for an un-called red-card foul by Maschareno. And Watt would be major competition at the forward position.

    http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/165/8249896/watt-signs-new-celtic-deal

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  9. MLS is a better league from top to bottom. Anyone that disagrees is just an MLS hater. Now I do agree that Celtic is a very good team, and I think it will be a good training stint for Agudelo with Celtic. Celtic are a storied, and very profesional club, and Agudelo will gain some much needed experience. I wish him the best, adn look forward to watching him with Chivas becasue I believe he will have a breal out year in 2013.

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    • the SPL is a stronger league than MLS. Not by much, but i’ve seen live games in both leagues and the standard is higher in the SPL.

      One thing with MLS is the disparity of talent on a team. You have guys making 1 million a year playing with guys making 35k a year. It makes for a very uneven game.

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      • I’ve seen live games in both leagues, although Scotland was last year, and I think the standard is higher in MLS. This isn’t 1998 anymore, or I’d agree with your comment. If NYRB, LA Galaxy, and Seattle Sounders weren’t handicapped by the salary cap they’d leave Celtic in their dust just like the rest of MLS has overtaken the other 11 teams in Scotland. Celtic upsetting Barcelona in the Champions League group stage doesn’t make them an elite UEFA team, just like the USA upsetting Spain in the Confederation’s Cup makes them World Cup contenders.

      • If your aunt had balls she’d be your uncle.

        Of course, if MLS didn’t self-inflict itself with a rigid salary cap the league would be much much stronger.

        But the reality is MLS does inflict itself with this salary cap and thus when comparing the two leagues you have to take into account that there are a lot of players in the MLS who would not be able to make an SPL squad.

    • I am an MLS fan but would personally give a slight edge to the SPL although MLS has been getting very close the past few years and will probably pass the SPL in the next few. I watch more SPL and MLS than anything else except maybe the EPL and USMNT. What I think is funny is how people on here are bashing the SPL. Sure its not the greatest league in the world but it is sending more players to the EPL and Championship every year than MLS and they only have 12 teams. Also, Scotland is a country of about 10 million people. There is only one other country with a better league than Scotland with a population of that size or smaller. People need to get some perspective before making stupid comments (not saying you are the one making them…. see above).

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    • Better league top to bottom….you have players on the same team with a salary difference of over $200,000-$2,000,000……NYRB, GALAXY, EARTHQUAKES, SEATTLE…MAYBE HOUSTON OR DC…..Who else is worthy? Wanna start taking about the “punching bags” of MLS??

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      • whether you get killed by a stick or by a missle you are still dead…..lol, it doesn’t matter how you got beat…YOU GOT BEAT

      • Your analogy is way off base. Yes it matters how a team gets beat. A win is a win which is totally different than how an opponent was beat.

      • at the end of the day its the results…seriously are you that naive…lol. Do you remember how teams get beaten when qualifying for lets say the world cup?….or how league champions won most their games?…Is there points for a flamboyant way to lose…lol no, its only the fact that they Won or Lost, a W or L.
        No surprised though, if you can imagine that MLS is better than SPL, then the sky’s the limit for you…..

    • Here is the difficult part. Agudelo is a commodity in MLS, so MLS won’t let go of him on the cheap. Right now I think MLS would want at the very least 3 million for him. If he has a break out year next season with Chivas expect that number to increase around 6 million. A bigger team than AZ, Roda, or Vitesse would have to buy him. Maybe a PSV or Feyenoord, or Ajax if it’s the Eredivisie. Personally I think he ends up going to Germany in a couple of years to a Schalke or Stuttgart.

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  10. I don’t think people on here understand what a training stint is.

    He isn’t playing matches. He’s only training with a team that would crush any MLS team 3 or 4 to 0.

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  11. For all the people who think Celtic is the only power house in the SPL, thats because you ONLY KNOW celtic and Rangers…..comparing MLS to SPL???? and saying that there is a drop in talent outside of Celtic, think again. Celtic rang Barcelona’s bell twice in the UEFA championships, now look at the current league table:

    1. Hibernian
    2. Celtic
    3. Aberdeen
    4. Inverness CT
    5. St Johnstone
    6. Kilmarnock
    7. Motherwell
    8. Dundee Utd
    9. Ross County
    10. Hearts
    11. St Mirren
    12. Dundee

    How about the latest results

    Celtic 1 vs Aberdeen 0

    Ross County 1 vs Celtic 1

    Inverness CT 2 vs Celtic 4

    Celtic 2 vs Hibernian 2

    St Johnstone 2 vs Celtic 1

    Celtic 2 vs Dundee 0

    Motherwell 0 vs Celtic 2

    Celtic 1 vs Hearts 0

    St Mirren 0 vs Celtic 5

    Celtic 0 vs Kilmarnock 2

    Dundee Utd 2 vs Celtic 2

    Celtic 1 vs St Johnstone 1

    Even though they were able to beat one of the best teams in the world twice…they are still tying and losing to other teams in the league meaning there is lots of competition so lets stop taking about this top to bottom talent…lol. SPL and MLS are not even on the same plain……technically, skillfully or just based on talent or coaching. We are closing the gap at a rapid rate but not there yet.
    Agudelo’s training with Celtic would be FAR better training than anything he could receive with any team in MLS

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    • Dude. Sittign back absorbing pressure is not beatign Barcelona. You got a goal on a header, adn on a quick counter. Not taking anythign away from terh win, but lets have some perspective. Celtic was thouroughly outplayed adn outclassed both times by Barcelona. It’s ok to be a homer, but atleast aknowledge the win wasn’t soem kind of beat down Celtic gave to Barcelona. Oh and MLS is better than the SPL. But I do lkike Agudleo going over and trainign with Celtic.

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      • football is about scoring goals. celtic scored more goals than barca. i dont care how many passes they can string together or how many tricks they can pull of or how much possession they have every game. if you dont score goals and you dont win no one cares. have some respect for celtic and also consider that they have a fraction of the financial resources.

      • Barcelona lost twice to Celtic but Celtic didn’t beat them…..MLS is better than SPL……..lol. Give me a little bit of what you are smoking

      • Boca would rather play in a lower division in scotland than come to MLS…..Mike Grella would rather rot in a lower division in England…..Robbie Finley…Charlie Davis….Robbie Rogers….all left MLS to a advance there careers, their training, their development…..and would rather suffer out there than be a starter on an MLS TEAM….That should give you a hint (top players in the world come here to “retire”…..lol). We are up and coming, but we are not even closely there yet…….

      • “It’s because they can get paid more”…exactly THomas.
        More money = attracts better players= makes better league

  12. Why not train with them? Interesting experience. Wouldn’t be easy for him to qualify for the UK work permit even if it was more than that, maybe a Bundesliga 2 team, Belgium, or Netherlands would be a fit if he was seriously pursuing a transfer

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  13. People are talking about this like it’s a transfer. Training with Celtic is a great form of exposure for the kid and not much else. He’ll gain a little experience and come back. I wouldn’t want him playing at Celtic, though, just because SPL isn’t better than the MLS, and the MLS will have his best interests in mind while big clubs in Europe have no problem in swallowing a few players for the growth of the club. Definitely don’t want to see that happen to him.

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      • They are going to buy him if he is the real deal. Another striker trialing with them recently is Frank Acheampong, who plays with Anthony Ampaipitakwong in Thailand. Acheampong is too good for the Thai league so you can be sure Celtic are looking for a young forward if the other trial is any indicator of their interest.

  14. are you people serious? we are talking about the same celtic who just gave barcelona two matches in a row. there is not an mls side out there even close to that level. who cares what league has better top to bottom competition. he only gets to train with celtics players, much better players and coaching than mls. its not like he is off to a stint with aberdeen….

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    • That’s what I said above, Celtic is the only solid team they have (Aberdeen was good decades ago however) but from a competition standpoint the other clubs don’t offer a contest to Celtic they are a just a bunch of shiscuits who fill out the schedule.

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  15. Hahahahahaha……are people comparing SPL to MLS??? A hacked league….a clear step down? Wow….seriously? He is going to train with Celtic, a team thats on top of the SPL, a team that just beat Barcelona in the UEFA Championships, ahead of Benfica and Spartak Moscow? Hahahahaha, can you imagine Chivas USA beating a star studded Barcelona side or going toe to toe with Benfica? Sometimes I wonder if some people are just riding on emotion or just dont have a clue what they are talking about…..hahahaha or maybe just being sarcastic

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    • Everyone knows Celtic is the only good team in Scotland, outside of Celtic their is a substantial drop off in talent, the other teams are just shiscuits. Chivas USA is the worse team in the league of MLS (outside of Toronto FC who are complete jizzkets)

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    • Yeah Celtic is decent, but we’re talking about the league as a whole. MLS is much better top to bottom, and Chivas are the worst team in the league so comparing them to Celtic who have money from basically a free Champions League qualification every year is ridiculous.

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      • Why is anybody talking about the league? Celtic has proven to be an accomplished team that he won’t be playing a single match for. He is just going to train there, it’s not a loan. While he may play a reserve match or something like that, who cares? It’s a huge step from anything Chivas USA could ever provide for him

      • Andy what is ridicious is comparing the SPL to MLS. Celtic beat Barcelona twice in a row…..there is no team in MLS better yet MLS ALL-STARS couldn’t beat Barcelona in a row even if it was best of 20.
        Yet Celtic have been beaten by St Johnstone 2 vs Celtic 1 and Celtic 0 vs Kilmarnock 2, they have tied Ross County 1 vs Celtic 1, Celtic 2 vs Hibernian 2, Dundee Utd 2 vs Celtic 2 and Celtic 1 vs St Johnstone 1……note ST Johnstone beat them and tied them in their back to back meet and they are 5th in the SPL. Hence there are teams going head to head with Celtic, despite what most people think…..

      • cory you are a moron… exactly like the guy above me said its a FRIENDLY, and MLS are always into their season by the time celtic play it. get over urself lmao

      • “Celtic who have money from basically a free Champions League qualification every year is ridiculous.”

        before this year they hadnt made the group stage of the champions league since 2008. its hardly guaranteed or free

      • if u knew the SPL you would know the major competition for celtic, rangers, will be gone for at least another 2 years and 5 until they are level with celtic skill wise, at LEAST

    • I agree bizzy, some people simply don’t have a clue what they are talking about. Believe it or not, there are people out there who truly believe that one club team has the power to buoy an entire league to some kind of “premier” status. It’s laughable, right?

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  16. Do not discount the training stint at Celtic. Their squad is extremely talented and is not indicative of the SPL, at all. Celtic can and has played variety of styles throughout the season.That’s due to their diverse roster and depth. Juan will defintely be exposed to different systems. Lennon is a tremendous young coach and if Juan takes heart the instruction and guidance it will bode well for him. I’m a lifelong, diehard Celtic supporter and I would love nothing more than to see a Yank (other than a backup GK) wear the famous Hoops.

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  17. Sounds like Agudelo could have saved a lot of money, fired his agent, and just read this board to get some real advice on his development……

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  18. He has the talent but MLS has no good coaches- truth hurts- mls needs to hire top talent coaches like the arabic , mexican, and asian leagues and russian.

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    • You’re full of it if you think that MLS has no good coaches. Arena, Sigi, Kinnear, and Kreis just to name a few are all excellent coaches.

      Also, don’t spout off the Arabic league as an example of good coaching. Poor quality of play in that league, just a lot of money.

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      • big difference between a “coach” and a “manager”. we have coaches in ths US. in europe they have managers who develop talent in a much different way. why do you think nobody in europe hires america coaches?

      • wrong…there is major bias against poor coaching in europe. consider that “average” managers in europe still play in the europa league and prepare for much higher competition than anything a US coach has ever had to prepare for. The CCL is our glorified version that doesnt even come close.

        There have been a few coaches who have been able to make an impact in europe but they are not the ones coaching in MLS and it is usually on the youth side or as an assistant.

      • wrong… the “average” coach in europe is coaching in a third tier league. only big time coaches coach in first divisions and only big time coaches at big time clubs make it to even the europa league. sick of people parading around like they are are experts on the level of play on this or that league, like they know what is best for a players career, like they know what coaching is like in mls compared to europe, etc., etc

  19. Better competition, overall, in MLS. Not too impressed. He’d do better to transfer to a bigger club inside MLS, or to a Mexican club, or follow Jozy to the Netherlands. If he makes this move, he’ll be stuck on the bench, just like in NY.

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    • Bigger club in MLS, he couldn’t start at New York definently at a sub in LA probably. I feel like Kreis in Salt Lake (mid upper level) could’ve gotten something out of him, maybe Sigi could have integrated him in.

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      • Presumably the concept is to get him fit and in form for potential qualifying callups in February, during the MLS offseason. So he needs to go to someplace where they are training like it’s in-season.

    • If he has to train in the SPL, at least he’s training with a team that still has some good players (since they have money).

      I highly doubt this has anything to do with a potential move.

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    • As someone who has watched the MLS since inception, and the SPL for the last 10 years…you have no idea what you are talking about. Not a clear step down, or why would Agudelo take it?

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    • Celtic is currently second in their CL group and just defeated Barcelona. Say what you want about your perceptions of Scottish football, but the results that Celtic have achieved in the past year provide undeniable evidence of their quality. Fraser Forster, Celtic’s keeper, is England’s No.2; Manchester United has prepared a January transfer offer for Victor Wanyama; Gary Hooper has been time and time again linked to big clubs in England. By saying that Juan Agudelo, who (despite his undeniable potential and talent) has accomplished very little in his brief career, is punching below his weight by training with Celtic, you’re striking the same sort of condescending tone used by every Eurosnob when referring to MLS.

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      • Have you also been to several MLS games? That’s an important qualifier. I’ve been to a few NASL games and they looked a lot more impressive live than on TV.

      • Celtic is second in their group, over Spartak Moscow and Benfica and just posted a 2-1 win against Barça at Celtic Park in Glasgow.

      • In other words, Celtic is a better standard than MLS, but the rest of the SPL wouldn’t be. Hibernian will sink to the middle by season’s end, as always. Recent history is Celtic and Rangers putting up point totals in the 80s and 90s while 3rd place and lower is in the 50s and 60s. You can’t extrapolate that a league with such perennial dominance at the top is better on the whole than another based only on the best team.

      • I don’t buy SPL is better than MLS in general. I might buy Celtic on its own little island is, outspending everyone else. As far as the CL, I see that as a circular argument. There are some good and bad teams in CL at this stage so the question is really if it’s a good CL team. In this case, yes, it is, but then aren’t you just congratulating them twice for the same virtue?

        For that matter, I don’t think it matters how good the SPL is if the team is superior to the average standard there and better than here. He won’t be playing in the league unless there are further developments. So all this SPL and CL talk is kind of silly…..it’s either a good environment to train at a quality standard or not. The rest is eyewash for a training stint.

    • PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE SCROLLING DOWN ANY FUTHER!!!

      Agudelo is training with Celtic! not playing for them. So it does not matter if SPL is better or worse than MLS. He gets to TRAIN with a CL team.

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      • You’re having it both ways. We shouldn’t factor in the SPL but we should the CL? He’s actually playing in neither. So at best this is a “rubs off on him” situation.

        I also think “they’re playing in Europe” can be a pretty broad brush. Celtic has played well, beat Barcelona this year, and one can argue they’re on another plane from the rest of the SPL. But I keep hearing this same stamp of approval applied to other teams less deserving. What about Nordsjaelland and Parkhurst? Advanced straight to group but are 0 W 1D 3L with 1GF and 11 GA? Or Anderlecht and Kljestan, who beat Lithuanian and Cypriot teams in qualifying and are 1-1-2 in their group with a -3 GD. I think people throw around that “CL” stamp of approval without acknowledging the gradations within it. These two teams will be lucky to be in Europa by the spring.

        I think it’s a mixed bag to be weighed both directions. A decently long training stint at Celtic, say, a couple weeks, might be good for him as well as attaboy validation. But a short stint might prove less useful, there is an injury risk, and there is also the unknown of what happens if this wanders into one of those “I want to buy the player” issues and maybe he plays if transferred maybe he doesn’t.

      • Whether or not the rest of the SPL is crap, the fact is that Celtic still has the money to draw quality players. Nothing but good can come from training around quality players.

        Plus, the Anderlecht & Nordsjaelland examples don’t really hold much water since Celtic has pulled several good results from their CL group.

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