You remember the days we used to bang on about Asset Management? The Martin O’Neill was glorious but that team left with barely a dowry. Great players were kept on ever-increasing wages, some until they could scarcely run the length of themselves. Tales of John Hartson’s bleep test live in the memory!
This was unquestionable folly. Celtic lost money each season under Martin (and Gordon Strachan), debt rose ever-higher, while the background noise was an incessant call to spend more money. The early days of CQN saw demands to show the kind of ambition Sir David Murray did at Rangers, or for Dermot Desmond to donate cash, by some who had confused Celtic’s charitable ethos with being a charity case.
A successful trading strategy is crucial for any club to achieve its potential. Keep them on wages you can afford and sell them to a wealthier market when you cannot get them to extend their contract.
All of those great goals from Stuart Armstrong, the Cup Final equaliser, all those trophies he won, cost the club zero. Absolutely nothing. His transfer fee to Dundee United and entire wage bill was more than covered by the fee from Southampton. In fact, we made a profit, which is available for us to kick on with.
There were two alternatives:
Let him leave without compensation next year. Celtic would be busy looking for a replacement as Stuart’s agent would be shopping him around. And there would be no money to reinvest.
Or, break the wage structure to match what he can get in England. And even then, he might still fancy a the chance in England. There are some players worth breaking the wage structure for, but with all due respect to Stuart, you can only do it for an unequivocal first choice.
More important than the money, Celtic cannot stagnate. There are lots of reasons to feel good about our general domestic brilliance, but your football club regards itself as a Champions League operation. On that front, we have plenty of room for improvement.
Just as there are limits to our wage bill, there are practical limits to the squad size. We need to churn those on the fringes and try to replace them with players who will become un-droppable.
Best of luck at our benefactor-by-the-sea, Stuart. I hope you are a huge success.
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HaHaHa
Mexicans outside the S Korean embassy in Mexico thanking them for knocking Germany oot
https://twitter.com/supercivicosmx/status/1012013450258677761
Son came round with a belated birthday present – bottle of Eden Mill Double Treble Gin – reckons he ordered it 3 weeks ago. Need to drink it before the treble treble comes out
Germany out is a bit of a bummer.
I will miss them beating England on penalties.
Come on Messi.
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/06/27/cruel-comparisons-for-a-cut-price-operation/
ITV pundits can’t bare to praise Brazil. They’ve been different class. Neville so full of nonsense it’s frightening.
Why do I get a feeling that sometimes Paul67 is feeding us breadcrumbs from ‘the board’ .
Brazil been great 1st half. Joy to watch their fitba.
Brazil have been impressive in the 3 games so far, a bit like Celtic in sphell, they need to keep the ball until defensive teams open up… Countinhos pass was Paul McStayesque :-)
3 trialists playing v EK tonight
Feliz Cumpleanos to AngelGabriel and belated to Auldheid.
HH
BB and PB
Thanks to you both.
Ron Bacardi @7:58
Because you have never met Paul?
JJ
HOT SMOKED,
Met him in early days of CQN.
English commentators wetting themselves over Serbia chances
Now crest fallen 2-0 Brazil
AngelGabriel: Breithlá sona duit
GFTB
Coutinho and Maestro in same Celtic team. What a lovely dream. ???
Angel Gabriel
Many Happy Returns F.
The fenian fire in Ayrshire, burns within you.
YNWA
DD
Brazil’s yellow tap, our ladies blue shorts & white socks is my favourite non-Celtic strip :-)
Looking forward to France v Messi on Saturday and a few cold refreshments
Hoopy Birthday Angel Gabriel. HH
COSY CORNER BHOY on 27TH JUNE 2018 7:58 AM
Reading the ‘great players I’ve seen’ has been very interesting for an old yin like me as it reminds me of when I actually saw them. My man for the ‘What a player he was title’ is Ferenc Puskas,he of the Hungarian Army X1 Engerland Skelpers,who might have been shaped like a ball but knew how to play with one as well!
*The Galloping Major who was a member of the original “Golden Team” the Magical Magyars was so one footed that he often said himself his right foot was only for standing on.
He was in Spain with Honved at the time of the Hungarian Revolution and along with Zoltán Czibor and Sándor Kocsis refused to return home, the latter two would end up with Barca. All 3 players were banned for 2 years but guested with clubs in Spain, Italy and Switzerland respectively.
After his ban was up he wanted to join an Italian club, he was living there at the time, but due to his age, 31, and his weight none of them were willing to take a chance.
Manure also looked at him as they sought to replenish their squad after the Munich Air Disaster but FA rules at the time were hostile to “Johnny Foreigner”, so, a few months later he joined Real Madrid and 2 years later entertained us all at Hampden by scoring 4 goals in what has been described as the greatest EC Final ever.
Having already won 5 League titles with Honved he would match that with Real Madrid along with 1 Spanish Cup, 3 Big Cups and 1 Intercontinental Cup where after tieing 0-0 in Montevideo they walloped Penarol 5-1 in the Bernabeau where he contributed 2 goals.
A truly remarkable player who gained numerous personal honours and also what is not known is that he played the 1954 World Cup with a hairline fracture and yet still managed 4 goals in the tournament.
He also played 4 times for Spain including the 1962 WC and retired at the remarkable age of 39.
As much as I admired him IMHO he comes 2nd to the marvellous Alfredo DiStefano as the greatest player I ever saw in the flesh.
RON BACARDI @ 7:58 PM,
“Why do I get a feeling that sometimes Paul67 is feeding us breadcrumbs from ‘the board’ .”
Hiya, could I make a point that might not be too popular but none the less, to my way of thinking; it’s a fact…
Now, as you point out to Hot Smoked you’ve been here k’in-ages.
Now, from time to time I make criticism of Paul67’s articles… to be honest less so as he doesn’t come on here to defend himself.
None the less, he does the leader, so he has to expect the push back!!
The thing for me though is the ghuys who come on and have a pop… never make a coherent argument, never get into a constructive debate…
…You just have an unsubstantiated pop…
You RB done that this evening.
Like Mike in Toronto earlier on, I tried to address his point but… nada… zilch…
You ghuys make accusations, then do not have the courtesy to continue the debate…
Just cheap pop, after cheap pop, after cheap pop…
£49, empty the stadium, Celtic should get pure mad mental, Celtic should make a statement, you’re a Board stooge, not what’s Celtic about, Real Celtic men like me are about…
So your comment at two minutes to eight tonight… Could you please explain, what do you mean by that?
Hail Hail
Enjoyed the party in Time Market in Lisbon tonight as Brazil went through. Cannot stand the clueless Yanks jogging the prime tables and drinking 2 beers amongst 8 guys for 90 minutes. The instant the game ended they fecked off? There must be a law against that behaviour. My good lady kept me in check otherwise a few chairs would have been pushed in around them just to piss them them off. Anyway good luck to Brazil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3il9rf6lPE
the mccoist gag is me favourite
Good evening folks
Update on CQN Summer beer meet
We are meeting at Malaga Tapas Centro on Sauchiehall Street (2 doors up from Firewater) on Saturday for lunch at 1pm, and then onto The Bon Accord from 3pm
Going so far for lunch
Friesdorfer
Lionsroar67
Pogmathonyahun
Penfold
CRC
Hamilton Tim
Thunder Road
Sparkx
With a few more boys joining from 3 on including Jobo ( and his golf clubs), Marspapa, DD, GFTB, The Bhoy from Oz, Doc and no doubt a few others that I have missed off the list.
If you want to join us for lunch, drop me an email at cqnpredictor@gmail.com or just pop in from 3pm at The Bon.
Looking forward to seeing you all on Sat
HH
CRC
CRC
Trying to get Liam Gallagher to join us before his gig on Glasgow Green on Saturday night.
Mad Ferret ????????
CELTICROLLERCOASTER SUPPORTING @WALKWITHSHAY on 27TH JUNE 2018 9:38 PM
…With a few more boys joining from 3 on including Jobo ( and his golf clubs), Marspapa, DD, GFTB, The Bhoy from Oz, Doc, Lennybhoy With a few more boys joining from 3 on including Jobo ( and his golf clubs), Marspapa, DD, GFTB, The Bhoy from Oz, Doc and no doubt a few others that I have missed off the list…
I won’t have golf clubs but will be nursing a hangover from Aberdour.
Until we meet again…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
CRC
3pm for all you food lovers, my tuna & cucumber pieces will be done by 1.30pm… I will be in the BA 2.15pm at the latest looking forward to Grizeman v Messi…. and talking a lot of shoite about Celtic :-)
GFTB
Look forward to taĺkin non shote wi you Gerry.
YNWA
Of the Tannadice trio that we signed I thought McKay Steven was by a distance the most talented. Armstrong looked a decent SPL player at first and as for Ciftci I would have chased his fat arse down the London Road when he tried that ridiculous back heel. Good luck to Stuart. He’s in the history books. They have all now gone as we await the arrival of John McGinn. Hh
Lennybhoy, GFTB, DD
See you Bhoys Saturday
HH
CRC
Gordon64
I thought wee GMS would have been brilliant for Celtic and Stuart Armstrong ordinary (both assumptions I couldn’t have got more wrong) but Stuart has left for pastures new…. a bit gutted, whit a song we have lost :-)
I wish the two of them all the best but more importantly the ones we still have
James Forrest CSC
DD
We will put that Brendan guy right, by the way the way Brendan has improved all of Ronny’s squad he could work wonders with John McGinn, I always like players that have done their apprenticeships and not just everything handed on a plate .. of Brendan signs John McGinn their is one certainty for me … John McGinn will better for it
Wee yin finishes up primary 5 the morra thank flip no more school ties till mid-August :-)
Dallas
If reading back I know you mentioned Messi’s goal last night and your annoyance about players not using their weaker foot…. what about wee Neymar ? Does he have a weaker foot :-) :-) :-)
Rhetorical question since I know you love Neymar Jnr :-)
CRC – Getting my excuse in early – at my age I have to take one seat at a time. Going to enjoy Aberdour and will decide about Saturday on Saturday!
Moderators
I note that you have deleted my earlier posts in response to Big Cup Winners. I can understand why his were deleted as he indulged in name calling and and personal attacks on my character but as I refrained from both I think I’m entitled to an explanation since I confined my posts to football points only.
Just saw the South Korea “var” goal, it’s an aye from me, “var” gets the correct decision more than the refs .. two of my favourite celebrations Panama against Engurlund & that Korean goal and for the hat trick the next Korean goal…. two teams that were more or less out enjoying their moment(s)
Fellow Celts good night, I think with the Germans going out that’s in the last 16yrs not one World Cup winning team has managed to get through the group stages when trying to keep their trophy …. (I might have made that up but am sure on of the pundits mentioned this :-)
rday!
THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 27TH JUNE 2018 10:57 PM
Moderators
I note that you have deleted my earlier posts in response to Big Cup Winners. I can understand why his were deleted as he indulged in name calling and and personal attacks on my character but as I refrained from both I think I’m entitled to an explanation since I confined my posts to football points only.
_____________
I may be wrong but my understanding is that if a post breaks the blog rules any associated posts are also deleted, hence the reason why your posts have gone.
Hail! Hail!
anyone seen a handsome hun at the world cup ?
report it in, if yeese see one
So according to Paul the Tim, John Mcginn isn’t happening. Given that Paul is in Austria and got his photo taken with BR you would have to assume he got the information from the horses mouth. If you do the maths it’s hard to see Celtic paying £2m plus for a guy playing in Scotland with one year left on his deal.
Just a wee point of interest, i thought Scott Allan did well today, he seemed quite into it and is very much part of the squad as things stand. I think BR might be impressed by the way he played at Hibs last season and particularly the way he took it to the Huns without fear. Probably unlikely but you never know, there may be a role for him yet.