Big Jan: “Celtic zijn meer dan een voetbalclub!” and Zoltan Gera?

By: Matt | June 2nd, 2008

As the transfer wheel spins, things are still quiet on the Celtic front. No deals have been announced, despite Shaun Maloney loudly thinking out loud that a return to “Scotland” would be nice and strong rumors (if I write it, IT MUST BE TRUE! HERE THAT KAKA, PRETTY RONALDO, ETC…THE HOOPS WOULD SUIT YOU!) that Harry Kewell is about to “put another shrimp on the barby!” with fellow Aussie Scott McDonald at Celtic. Despite no solid news or signings, Celtic have been linked with Zolton Gera, West Brom’s attack midfielder and Hungarian National team captain. Gera is know for having a certain “apatite” for the ball and is “hungry” for the goal…You see where I’m going with this. Once again, not sure if another midfielder is really necessary, unless there are plans to sell some people. Celtic are said to be offering their best 3 course meal (last food or “Hungary/Hungry” joke, I promise) for Gera with Benfica, Bolton, and Wigan.

Celtic forward Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink’s year was not quite as lucrative as his first year or of his partner Scott McDonald, yet the big Dutchman scored a quiet 15 goals, including the winning goal on the last day of the season against Dundee United. One of the laundry list of moving moments of championship Thursday for me was seeing Big Jan singing along to “Fields of Athenry”. This is just another example the pull that Celtic has on everyone around. A Dutchman was singing a song about the famine of Ireland, he has no connection to Ireland other than Celtic (insert comment here), yet the club has grown on him so much that he expressed his joy while singing along to this song. Keep the faith.net has a great article with Big Jan where he talks about the excitement of winning the league, what Tommy Burns meant to him, and what Celtic means to him. Perhaps my favorite quote from the article was when Jan of Vennegoor and Hesselink said “I know it’s been said before but Celtic is much more than a football club. But you need to be part of it every day to fully understand. The traditions, the history, the warmth, you have to experience it everyday to really understand it.” Indeed, Jan.

TAL!