Latest news with #Celtic
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Alan Fletcher, ex-Neighbours star, set for Glasgow gig
Alan Fletcher's new tour across the UK and Ireland, which will stop at the Centre for Contemporary Arts on September 24, is his "most ambitious and far-reaching." The singer is also set to release his latest single Back to School on July 3. (Image: Supplied) Mr Fletcher said: "My 2025 tour of the UK and Ireland is my most ambitious and far-reaching. "Last year's tour sold out and, for the first time, I had a real sense that people came to hear the music, not to just meet my alter-ego Dr Karl. Read more: Glasgow man stabbed nephew after he took his kebab sauce Serie A side eyeing move for Celtic winger "I got that sense from seeing people singing my lyrics back to me and from incredible support for my recorded music. "I suspect this tour is going to be a ripper and I cannot wait to share my new music with Brit and Irish fans everywhere." Mr Fletcher became a household name during his 30-year tenure on the Australian soap Neighbours, best known for his role as Dr Karl Kennedy. In 2020, he decided to move away from rock music and pursue a solo career in Americana, alt-country, and folk music. His recent projects include the album The Point and single Tell 'Em, a country music duet with his partner of 35 years and fellow bandmate, Jennifer Hansen. The singer has also been hinting at what fans can expect from his new track, Back to School. He said: "I have been a student of love all my life and the most valuable lesson I ever had was from English philosopher Alain de Botton. "Alain reminds us that, while it is easy to fall in love, staying in love takes work. "We have to learn how to love so, perhaps, the secret to staying in love is to go... back to school (cue song)."
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Rangers get Hamza Igamane transfer ruling from the Jury as Lawrence Shankland told exact move he must make
1) Hamza Igamane looks to be on his way out of Rangers with Lille set to bid. What should be an acceptable fee for Rangers to let him go and why? SCOTT McDERMOTT If Rangers are offered anything more than £10 million for Igamane, they have to take it after paying just £1.5 million a year ago. It's tough for fans to see a prodigious talent leave early but that's the player trading model the club needs to adopt. ANDY NEWPORT: Anything north of £15 million would represent a fantastic return for Rangers. The kid has huge potential but there are still a few rough edges needing polished that will prevent him reaching record numbers money-wise. Gers should certainly get a hefty return on the £1.5m he cost. SCOTT BURNS: The talk is that any bid would be in excess of £10 million. If that is the case it is good money for a player who has only been here a season. It would also be a decent return on a striker that cost just £1.5 million. 2) Benjamin Ngren has checked in at Celtic for £1.7 million. What will he add to Brendan Rodgers' side and how big a player do you expect him to be at Parkhead this term? SCOTT McD: He'll add skill, penetration and a goal threat to Celtic's already dangerous attack. Ngren fits the profile of players the club normally target, develop and sell on for a profit. He's already made the step up to international football with Sweden and he could be a key man for Rodgers this season. ANDY: He's another exciting talent. Signing the right winger will relieve some of the concern floating around Parkhead right now as clubs circle in on Nicolas Kuhn. Nygren has shown already that he's comfortable at international level and will add that experience to Celtic's Champions League ambitions. SCOTT B: I think with uncertainty over Nicolas Kuhn then he will get an early chance to stake a claim. He could nail down the right wing slot and certainly has a decent enough pedigree to do it. 3) Hibs have pulled off a coup by adding talented Scot, Josh Mulligan, to their ranks. Have the Old Firm missed a trick by not trying to tempt him to Glasgow on a free? SCOTT McD: I'm surprised Rangers didn't consider bringing Mulligan in alongside his ex-Dundee team-mate Lyall Cameron. He offers physicality and running power, something Rangers need in midfield. But fair play to Hibs, he should be a terrific signing for David Gray. ANDY: Maybe but I'm not sure he'd have troubled the starting XI at either club. It's better for the kid that he goes to Easter Road and plays regularly. SCOTT B: It would cost around £300,000 in training compensation but it would have been a snip for both. I think Hibs landing Mulligan is one of the coups of the current window. 4) Lawrence Shankland still hasn't made a call on his future, with clubs interested in England and Europe, as well as a new Hearts offer on the table. What's the best decision for his career? SCOTT McD: Every player has to look after themselves and their family financially when making a big decision. So if Shankland gets a huge offer and leaves Tynecastle you can't blame him. It just feels that with Derek McInnes in charge, it could be a really productive next couple of years for the striker if he stays in Gorgie, especially with the World Cup on the horizon. ANDY: To stay put in Gorgie and seek to rediscover his best form under Derek McInnes. I can see exciting times ahead for the Jambos and Shanks should be there to lead from the front.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
I know Celtic's transfer market strategy but it leaves Brendan Rodgers in the pressure pot again
Brendan Rodgers could not have been any clearer about the impressive impact last summer's pre-season work had on the way Celtic stylishly set about their business. Fast forward 12 months and I'd say it's even-more important this time around. Which is why I can understand some edginess that has been creeping into supporters as time ticks past with noise on the signing front remaining relatively quiet. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's at full volume in the background as Rodgers' recruitment team set about delivering the quality he wants. Benjamin Nygren's sealed deal says as much. A positive sign. I feel like I say this every year, but there really is no time to waste. Especially not this time with the sceptre of the Champions League qualifiers being back. Those games are enough to make you feel a bit queasy. I know, I've been there and I've been on the wrong end of them. It's not fun. As much as putting Ajax out for the first time was an incredible high, losing out to FC Basel was a kick in the guts, even if it did send us into the UEFA Cup and on a run to a final. Celtic didn't just hit the ground running last season. They absolutely sprinted into top gear from the first whistle. Granted, the signings weren't all in place by that time either with the likes of Adam Idah and Arne Engels arriving after the campaign was underway, but the work done in the build-up weeks was absolutely vital. That's not just me saying that, that's coming from the manager himself. Rodgers told us in no uncertain terms that the patterns of play used in the United States in games against the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City were priceless when it came to going into the league phase of the Champions League. The way Nicolas Kuhn 's role was defined and perfected to ensure he began the season like an express train and barely stopped until running out of gas a bit near the end. Celtic won 16 of their first 18 Premiership matches and put the title to bed during that run, It was job done and Rodgers is going to want the same again. For that to happen in the way he plans, I'd be sure he wants many of the men he is going to be relying upon to be in the camp when they make their trips to Portugal and Italy. Look, again, I'm not daft. I understand how the market works. I'm fully aware that Celtic will have targets who, at this stage, might not be unavailable due to their own clubs not having made up their mind, or that agents are playing a waiting game and trying to smoke out the best deals, waiting to see if they can generate as much interest as possible for their client. Unless Celtic are going to start paying silly money, I'd imagine they may have to wait, perhaps even until the end of the window, for some of the key targets. But it still feels a little lacking to me at this precise point of proceedings and, at the very least, Rodgers will surely want the majority in his squad for the start of the domestic season. Having the unit functioning smoothly and working in tandem is vital. There are competitive domestic games before the qualifiers, but Rodgers has been in this movie before and he is going to want to be as tooled up as possible for when they come around. Yes staying top of the pile in the Scotland is the key. That's the bread and butter and it always has to be the priority. But I stood five yards from Rodgers on the pitch at Tannadice on the day Celtic clinched the title and you could not hide the excitement he had about the prospect of going back into the Champions League next season and kicking on from last term's efforts. Celtic got their pride back. It's what the manager wanted and now it's about building. But you can't do that if you aren't in it. Rodgers doesn't need me to tell him what it's like to have to deal with these qualifiers without a full deck of cards. He's been there. When he walked in the door the first time, the juggling act and scrambling to make it to the group-phase through the final qualifiers against Astana and Hapoel Be'er Sheva having lost a first-leg tie to Lincoln Red Imps shredded the nerves. Kolo Toure parachuted into the squad in the midst of it. Same the following year. Battling to get through, having to play Tom Rogic basically up front. Eventually, it caught up with Celtic when AEK Athens put them out in Rodgers' last attempt before he left. Now returned, he's back in that pressure pot and, at this stage, there looks like there's plenty to be done. Kieran Tierney has signed, but who is the back up with Greg Taylor leaving? Nygren now in with Ross Doohan, yet the new striker that was wanted in January when Kyogo left will still be wanted. Other areas of the side to be addressed. It seems there is much to do and there's too much going on the line for Celtic not to try and get as much of it done as soon as possible. Rodgers and his team are heading into that pre-season campaign shortly. For it to have the same maximum effect as it had a year ago, having some more of the targeted new faces on the pre-season flights wouldn't go amiss.
Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Club v country - how FAI took on English clubs to change European football
Eoin Hand's 22-man squad for the clash with France in Paris on Tuesday, 28 October is released to the press five days after the exhausting draw with Belgium. Eoin Hand adds two newcomers to the group – Celtic's young goalkeeper Pat Bonner and Brighton's powerful and pacy forward Michael Robinson, who has received international clearance to play for the Republic of Ireland. David O'Leary is also selected, having missed the Belgian game through injury. Eoin Hand picks his strongest-possible squad for his first away test as manager of the international side. But Eoin Hand faces more than the usual uncertainty in terms of player availability. Eight days out from the Republic of Ireland's massive date with the French, player availability issues regarding the fixture clash with the English League Cup have still not been settled. This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in Take us with you this summer. Annual €130€65 Best value Monthly €12€6 / month
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Wedding of the Week: Cork couple head 'over the rainbow' for Kerry castle celebration
Considering this bride has herself joined many couples' hands in matrimony, the ceremony was always going to be important Cork couple Alison Driscoll and Alan Bell. Alison, a celebrant and solemniser with Bespoke Words and Alan, a primary school teacher, exchanged vows in Ballyseede Castle, Tralee, Co Kerry, which is where the reception also took place. Alison Driscoll and Alan Bell. Pictures: Studio Lordan 'I live and breathe weddings, and because I'm a celebrant myself, the ceremony was such an important part of the day,' says Alison, from Ballinlough. She and Alan, from Parklands, were wed by Linda Foley (@lindafoleycelebrant on Instagram). Alison Driscoll and Alan Bell. Pictures: Studio Lordan "Linda was absolutely incredible and our ceremony was phenomenal," says Alison." Alan and I wrote our own vows. We kept them secret from one another, so it was so lovely to hear them. "One standout moment in the ceremony was our hand-tying ritual — this is a reimagining of a Celtic tradition. We had some friends and family come up one by one to place a length of ribbon over our hands. We also used a tie that belonged to Alan's late dad.' Alison Driscoll and Alan Bell. Pictures: Studio Lordan Singer Lily MacMonagle (@lily_m_music on Instagram) and violinist Rebecca McCarthy Kent (@rebeccal08 on Instagram) performed during the ceremony. 'Lily sang 'Blue Moon' in honour of Alan's dad as we lit the remembrance candle.' Photographer Seán Lordan of Studio Lordan captured the occasion on camera, as did videographer Tom Halpin (@whitephoenixweddingfillms on Instagram). Alison Driscoll and Alan Bell. Pictures: Studio Lordan 'The weather co-operated with us — we even got a rainbow!' adds the bride. 'My two older sisters were my bridesmaids, along with my best friend, and my niece was my flower girl. Alan had four groomsmen made up of his good friends from school, college and the GAA club.' The bride and groom's paths first crossed a decade ago. 'We connected on Tinder in 2015 and met first in The Bowery,' says Alison. Alison Driscoll and Alan Bell. Pictures: Studio Lordan A romantic break in Paris seven years later set the scene for their engagement. 'Alan proposed with a beautiful vintage emerald promise ring from Caragh Jewellers in Killarney, one that I had admired passing by about six months previously. That December, we were in town to sign our contracts for our house when I spotted a stunner of a ring in Diana O'Mahony Jewellers on Winthrop Street, which is my forever ring. I wore both my emerald and my diamond on the wedding day.' Alison Driscoll and Alan Bell. Pictures: Studio Lordan "Colour, fun and relaxed vibes" were the event's theme, says Alison. 'I am totally horizontal and really wanted a chilled atmosphere for everyone. We went with bright pink, orange and yellow as our palette. We also leaned into Alan's family name, Bell, and named our tables with 'bell' connotations like Bell's Field, 'belle of the ball', and Bellinis. I did a lot of DIY to bring my vision to life.' Alison Driscoll and Alan Bell. Pictures: Studio Lordan The New Brass Kings (@thenewbrasskings on Instagram) filled the dance floor. 'Our first dance song was 'Pencil Full of Lead' by Paulo Nutini,' says Alison. The bride looked super-elegant in a Fara Sposa gown, which she sourced in Amore in Youghal. 'The outermost layer of the skirt and the sleeves are polka dots, which I was weak for,' she says. Alan's tux was from Tom Murphy's, Patrick Street. Alison Driscoll and Alan Bell. Pictures: Studio Lordan Makeup artist Siobhan Murphy (@ on Instagram) and hairstylist AnneMarie Fitzgerald of @TietheKnotBridalHair 'kept everything ticking along nicely', adds Alison. Alison also hired a content creator, Lucy (and_somethingblu). 'I obviously knew what it entailed, but — oh, my God — the content she has captured is insane.' Maura Sheehy of Maura's Cottage Flowers created the floral arrangements for bride Alison Driscoll. Pictures: Studio Lordan Maura Sheehy (@maurascottageflowers) created the floral décor. The cake was from Ruairi's Kitchen. The newlyweds, who live in Ballinlough, honeymooned in Portugal. If you would like your wedding featured in Weekend email
