Spectre of Celtic and wincing at financial realities

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I winced slightly reading that Deliotte’s suggested Celtic were a ‘top 40’ club in terms of turnover.  The days we featured in their annual Top 20 report are long gone, lost in the raft of TV deals which flooded into England, France and elsewhere.

This is a problem for Celtic but at least we have a decent shot at Champions League income each year.  Others in Scottish football have been left to wither on the vine (phrase of the week), as the likes of AFC Bournemouth cherry-pick their talent.

Celtic need a solution to help them compete with their peer-group of European heavy-weights but the solution has to accommodate the other top Premiership clubs.  Dundee United have the ability to produce remarkable talent, if only they had the TV deal to allow them to retain it long enough to build a team.  The same could be said for Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen, Motherwell, Inverness and Ross County.

Scottish football would benefit enormously by federating with a neighbour.

You would think after administration and liquidation those who look to Ibrox for their football fix would, to adopt a popular phrase around those parts, have suffered enough from financial ‘ambition’.  Not a bit of it, it seems.  Not when the spectre of “being battered” by Celtic looms like an enormous green and white tidal wave.

For the last 12 years of its existence, Dave King was one of the non-executive directors of Rangers, paid to ensure that financial controls and risk management [role of non-execs defined by government 2003 Higgs Report]were in place.  I am not being glib or shameless when I say he did a remarkable job.

With Newco appearing to be in some financial distress, King told the Daily Mail he opposes planned cutbacks: ‘If we cut the club back to a level that’s just enough to win the League One or the Championship then that’s fine. But the gap between ourselves and Celtic when we get to the Premiership will be obvious.

“But I don’t feel the club should respond by cutting the costs to the point of saying ‘we only have to do what is necessary to beat East Fife or whoever.

“Because if you do that Celtic will build up to 10-in-a-row and we could be so far behind them that even when we are back in the Premiership we are  not in a position to catch up.

“We cannot risk going to Celtic Park and being battered 6-0.”

Those trying to keep Newco Rangers afloat will not welcome suggestions that current shareholders don’t have the “appetite or willingness to invest”, a few months before they will ask fans to buy season tickets.

Learn your lesson, there is no shame in losing 6-0 to Celtic, this is sport, bad results can happen, but there is enormous shame in failing to live within your means.

I’m off to contemplate 10-in-a-row for a while. To hyphenate or not?
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  1. Kitalba….you are just causing it for the sake of it….cant you just make a point without getting all bitter and twisted.

     

    I don’t care what you call me….I will just give it right back

     

    Your indignant rage is pointless, we agree, we disagree….so what

     

    Pull yer horns in…we are all celtic supporters here.

     

     

    HH

  2. Kitalba

     

     

    My education is limited as most on here can tell when reading my posts , to be honest

     

    Most just scroll on by because I don’t bring much serious or in depth debate to the table

     

    Mostly utter dribble but I try to get involved , once again sorry I have no wish to upset you

     

    Or any other Poster :(

  3. The Green Man:

     

     

    What in particular are you on about?

     

     

    Give me one example that I can’t justify my stance on.

  4. Bom dia,

     

     

    As is my want of a lunchtime, I read the UK papers online and then (leaving the best to last) CQN. Anyway, from todays Guardian Quiz I learned that the third man to walk on the moon was Pete Conrad. Of course everybody knows Neil Armstrong was first, but second?

     

     

    You see, everybody remembers who was first, but second? A point which has always served me well in any 9iar conversation with those unfortunate to follow the Govan Dodgers.

     

     

    So it was with interest I read Paul’s leader today about 10iar, where he alludes to:-

     

     

    …..Scottish football would benefit enormously by federating with a neighbour….

     

     

    but then raises the prospect in it’s current SPL guise as

     

     

    …..I’m off to contemplate 10-in-a-row for a while.

     

     

    Now, I’m well renowned for being slow on the uptake, but IF there was some form of “neighbourly federation” to take place, surely 10iar becomes as relevant as who walked on the moon?

     

     

    btw Edwin Eugene “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr was the second man to walk on the moon. Detailled NSA investigations have shown he managed this feat without any finacial doping to gain an advantage over others competeing for that second place honour.

  5. Sorry for blowing your question back in your face, wasn’t intended. I liked it good head scratcher for a Friday.

     

     

    I think as you are saying if you are good enough you can go on loan, get experience not only of more game time but how other teams/coaches do things and see how good you have it if you make it at Celtic. A players like Watt has shown his talents but after a tough year abroad should come back better adjusted to life and can kick on for us. I would rather see him or the countless other young players get a chance ahead of Griffths.

     

     

    We are at a point where we should be signing a 2/3/4 quality players adding to the squad, get a couple possible gambles for midfield who will be sellable and then bring the kids through. I do get a good level of satisfaction when there are a couple Academy graduates in the team. I think we are almost there but just need to cut out all the signings we need either a top quality striker or we give who we have a chance. Not buy a middle of the road player.

  6. “We cannot risk going to Celtic Park and being battered 6-0.” Dave King.

     

     

    They were pumped 6-2 at the height of their criminally acquired playing power…..why would he be concerned now?

     

     

    This is all about fear and loathing, neurosis, psychosis and perceived fear of cultural dominance of us over them, nothing else.

     

    By his declarations and statements he exposes just how far out of touch with reality they really are. It has never been about sport with them……ever.

     

     

    Regardless of how many “rows” we finally end up with their time as the establishment team is gone and it is not returning……ever.

     

     

    On a good day they will be about par with Dundee United and on a bad day they will be bust again and playing in Junior football (with a bit of luck)

     

     

    They are an anachronism in the 21st century and other than the parochial masonic and orange concerns at their local demise here I imagine the greater football community out with Scotland are glad to see the back of them really.

     

     

    Dinosaurs and tar pits…….

     

     

    Their grand children will be Celtic supporters…….that is their true fear.

  7. marspapa:

     

     

    You did not offend me, you asked me a personal question which was none of your business, i.e. “are you a priest?”

     

     

    I asked you a personal question in response.

     

     

    That’s all.

  8. Im on about your general attitude the last few weeks….whats it all about, why are you in such a rage?

     

    Im one of the worst ranters on here, but you are running me very close…..I expect better from you.

     

    However….I still reserve the right to be hysterical on occasion:)

     

    Lighten up..

     

     

    HH

  9. Rioskorrie,

     

     

    I was going to comment the next man to walk on the moon will be the first.

     

     

    But I wont

     

     

    HH.

  10. The Green Man

     

     

    Do you want to read this again and tell me you were serious?

     

     

    Im on about your general attitude the last few weeks….whats it all about, why are you in such a rage?

     

    Im one of the worst ranters on here, but you are running me very close…..I expect better from you.

     

    However….I still reserve the right to be hysterical on occasion:)

     

    Lighten up..

  11. BigChipsUK – There are only two SPL teams in Glasgow… Celtic and Partick Thistle

     

    12:53 on

     

    24 January, 2014

     

     

    Supposed to be a swipe at anyone daring to question anything the board does.A bit pathetic.We got into the top 40 despite PL gambling on us qualifying for the CL.This has been MY biggest gripe against him.If you are happy gambling with our biggest source of income,more fool you.But feel free to try and be smug about it.

  12. GuyFawkesaforeverhero on

    setting free the bears

     

    15.11 15.24 etc

     

     

    The concern that some posters express about our young players and one which I share with them is reinforced by your analysis.

     

     

    Only SB of the names on the list could be considered a success back at his home club subsequent to the end of the respective loan spells.

     

     

    There’s probably a smaller than 20% chance we’ll enjoy McGregor, Atajic etc in our first team and I think that’s a shame for us and the players.

  13. Kitalba

     

     

    Come on, its called humour….where has your sense of humour gone?

     

    Glad I didn’t mention the war:)

     

     

    HH

  14. Delaneys Dunky on

    Marspapa

     

     

    My cousin of that name was a west end bhoy. Mick from Easterhouse will be a distant cousin.

  15. GourockEmeraldBhoy "Supporting Wee Oscar the Warrior" on

    Some people really rip yer knitting at times

     

     

    HH

  16. Kenny Dalglish was loaned out to Cumbernauld United for a season as a teenager, and scored something like 35 goals.

     

     

    Jinky played for Blantyre Celtic.

     

     

    HH!!

  17. The Green Man:

     

     

    Ah! now I get it.

     

     

    You’ll have to forgive me, I had two lines on the Spanish Lottery but neither came up, so it time to pull myself up by the boots and just get on with it.

     

     

    Do you know there was a time on here when I was labelled the happiest clapper of them all… all around the ward my inmates used to do my nut in with their perpetual thumbs ups.

     

     

    Anyway, just to get into the spirit of things… here goes (and feck messin about and the lives of our children like)

     

     

    twenty in a row

     

    twenty in a row

     

    Hello Hello

     

    twenty in a row

     

    twenty in a row

     

    Hello Hello

     

    twenty in a row

     

    twenty in a row

     

    Hello Hello we are the billy boys……………………………………

  18. GourockBhoy/Dharma Bam,

     

     

    and sometimes they can even pull the wool over your eyes…

     

     

    :-)

     

     

    HAIL! HAIL!

     

    Token

  19. Kitalba

     

     

    im certainly no happy clapper, probably the worst moaner on here….so ive no excuses

     

    pay no attention to me, im just ranting.

     

    Its been a long day.

     

     

    HH

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