News that fans could be able to attend games from the middle of next month is very welcome. Lots can happen between now and then but Celtic Park with a reduced capacity is better than an empty Celtic Park.
For those attending, the process of gaining entry to the ground will feel onerous; more like being allowed onto a flight than into a stadium. A trial-run next week against Motherwell, even if only for 1,000 of us, will be useful to check processes before more significant numbers arrive.
On 20 February this year, a day after Newco advertised on their website for a kit partner, I told you production runs for replica football kit were such, that getting a deal done and shirts on shelves for this season in any volume was impossible. I wrote, “manufacturing slots are booked in March or early April. These are high volume items, production cannot be arrange doff the cuff.
“Multi-million pound contracts with any serious manufacturer will require scoping and due diligence, this could take weeks, if not longer.”
There are a small number of manufacturing facilities in the world that can produce these garments in volume, the major brands all use them and production slots are booked – to the minute – months out.
When Newco and Castore announced their deal in May and promised to ship in August, two possibilities occurred to me: I was wrong, or they were both flying by the seat of their threadbare pants.
Yesterday, the kit supplier apologised for adding Castore and Newco logos to school sweatshirts (busted as they had not gone to the trouble of changing details on the washing label). They also apologised for shipping top quality replica tops from China to some fans, when they intended to only ship inferior kit, manufactured at a location in Turkey. Yes, really.
Fans are now comparing shirts with a similar quality to any other replica football top, and something that costs the same as any other replica top, but is a very inferior product.
Getting things right in football costs money, takes time and experience. If you think you can breeze into this industry, bang a few heads together and deliver a world-class deal, you have world-class arrogance.
Newco’s commercial director, James Bisgrove, was less than a year in the job when he put an email address on the club website asking kit suppliers to get in touch. To be fair to him, it was a terrible position to be in, but he signed a deal without the scoping and due diligence that would prevent fans suffering this debacle. He does not have the experience required to do the job.
In February, before Castore were even a glint in the Newco eye, I wrote that their new kit deal, “will be a poor contract and it will perform badly for all concerned.” But all of us who have been paying attention for the last 8 years (and the 12 before) knew that.
350 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- »
FT @ 7.26
Thank you for that — nail on the head.
The whole “they are all as bad as each other” trope is a just well established right wing trope to suppress the vote in certain deprived / declining areas.
Unfortunately too many believe it.
BC and his sub Drymenitis tripe — if you want to be a politician then you should be barred from being a politician has been a big player in this attitude growing in WCS / West Central Scotland.
We can be our worst enemies at times.
Young striker Harper in the squad today.
BB @ 9.54
Hopefully NL is now comfortable with the concept of 5 subs.
I think it could change the dynamic of the game now.
Totally different tactics / shape for the last 30 minutes of the game.
BC — aka TBY — The Partick Patter Merchant.
Great albums I gave away — Raw Meat for the Balcony / Cop yer whack.
Bada
I see Dembele isn’t. Any truth in the rumour about a transfer request?
BW @ 10.02
Too many have excused the failings / trials and tribulations of our youth system with the comment that it must be OK as KD(21) was coming …
For the record KD(20) left in 1977.
I fear he has now become some sort of circus act that will save us from JF laziness / PR’s stagnation / MJ dodgy legs.
He is an individual and if he thinks that he will prosper elsewhere then fine.
We might want to ask the question why — if it is money then we have problem / if it coaching and development then we have a huge problem.
Interesting that the player a year younger than him — who seemingly has a similar style / skillset — went totally under the radar until BM turned up and got him to move to Bavaria.
I think we need to add that into the mix.
Tell me where I said voting is a waste of time
What’s the squad .
team for me
Verkas
Elhamed
Ayer
Julian
Taylor
Brown
Mcgregor
Christie or Elonousii
Frimpong
Eddie
Ajeti. When he gets tired polish paddy
BATEEN BHOY on 22ND AUGUST 2020 7:46 AM
Auldheid (from last night)
Canamalar posted earleir in the week. Still in Kuwait. Responded to a query from our Dundee correspondent.
=====================
Many thanks, I’ve not been on CQN much so had lost track.
FRANKTERRY
Tell me where I said voting is a waste of time
31003 on 22ND AUGUST 2020 10:15 AM
Tell me where I said voting is a waste of time
‘Couldn’t agree more. Each and every one of them a cheat, a liar and only in it for themselves. Vote? Yer havin a laff’
Frankterry
“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” Kurt Vonnegut.
Is that directed at me?
Is this you being philosophical?
Frankterry
You surely noted that my ire is directed at individuals and that if someone could point out an honest, non cheating/lying candidate I would vote for THEM
Brexit voting was not electing an individual, it was simply registering ones preference whether to stay/remain
Surely you didn’t think when you cast your vote you were actually electing someone
Big W- apologise, I believe Harper is travelling with the squad, but for experience only, I heard the Dembele rumour last week, maybe getting mixed up with his big brother, who asked away from MK Dons.
Can’t posters just write names instead of initials?…why do they do it? Tease? Wind up?
or maybe they just think they are clever…
Frankterry
I have no wish to fall out, particularly over politics. Let’s argue about football instead.
I really REALLY have no interest in politics
PS
I worked for the NHS….voluntarily. Sell it?
Not on my watch
WBC @ 10.22
Typing with boxing gloves on is not ideal.
Just warming up for a bit of verbal sparring with our Nat friends.
Plus the Micro Marxist / Tiny Trot who keeps his card very close to his chest.
31003 @ 10.37
That is politics — just a case it is better to get you retaliation in first.
Rather than wait for them to sell it and then heading for the barricades.
Someone has to build the barricade — possible job for a politician?
Or stop the sellers getting a position of power and influence in the first place — you could call it politics.
Madmitch
Point taken
Maybe it’s just that other people’s politics literally bore me to tears, particularly on a football blog
Madmitch…I don’t mind WBC because I know who he is… :-)
31003 on 22ND AUGUST 2020 10:23 AM
First off, you asked me a direct question regarding where you said voting was a waste of time and I answered it. Simply ignoring what you said doesn’t change the fact that you said it.
______
Frankterry
“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” Kurt Vonnegut.
Is that directed at me?
Is this you being philosophical?
____
Not particularly, this was a direct reference to the fact that you had posted contradictory statements and i was trying to understand which (if any) were genuine. Also, Kurt Vonnegut is one of the best writers that has ever lived and if you haven’t already you could do a lot worse than read some of his work.
——-
31003 on 22ND AUGUST 2020 10:28 AM
Frankterry
You surely noted that my ire is directed at individuals and that if someone could point out an honest, non cheating/lying candidate I would vote for THEM
Brexit voting was not electing an individual, it was simply registering ones preference whether to stay/remain
Surely you didn’t think when you cast your vote you were actually electing someone
_____
It’s not my job to tell you which politicians are honest, you have to take some responsibility and do that yourself. Insomuch the Brexit vote has led directly to the Johnson/Cummings axis you are naive to think you can separate the individual (s) from the policy.
——
I have no wish to fall out, particularly over politics. Let’s argue about football instead.
I really REALLY have no interest in politics
Ps
I worked for the NHS….voluntarily. Sell it?
Not on my watch
____
I have no real desire to argue either it just so happened you posted something that really pisses me off. Are you aware that the whole ‘all politicians are shite’ etc etc is in itself a political statement? That you’re doing the dirty work for Trump and Johnson with that attitude?
Anyway, I’m sure you’re a decent guy and a good Celtic fan so let’s just leave it there.
31003 @ 10.55
I stick to politics because I annoy more people with my football chat …
Have I told you that JF is more talented than AMcG — just a bit lazy so he needs a boot up the erse to keep him moving forward.
I have almost always voted but I still think most politicians are less than inspirational.
Bada
Cheers fella. I’d love to see more of Karamoko this season. A tremendous player as is wee Mikey Johnston, who should slot straight in on the left when back and allow Moi the No 10 position.
Madmitch…this is for you. The two Scottish politicos whom I did admire were JS and JS…
Physically, we look pretty weak at present. I’d like us to add a little height and muscle to the squad.
We may find it difficult against teams who look to put us off of our passing game.
Mad Mitch doesn’t directly bother me at all as he is the only poster on site I religiously scroll by, it’s the ghuys who respond to him who are my problem, hence indirectly he is pissing me off big time, The last few days I am finding it difficult to pick up any interesting thread of discussion . with all the shite he is fermenting.
No doubt Mad Mitch will wear it as a badge of honour, the fact he is ruining the blog for normal Celtic Supporters, but he is obviously enjoying himself and it appears that is all that matters to him,
Can the politicos not post on the previous thread?
Corkcelt…👍🏻😊
Rockets bouncin’ abooot from here…there an’ everywhere………….
sleekit trolls breakin’ up decent fitba’ nonsense……..
…..thur at it!
HHH.
!!BADA BING!! on 22ND AUGUST 2020 11:42 AM
Can the politicos not post on the previous thread?
—
Seconded. Boring the arse out of the rest of us.
Game today….
No 2nd striker trusted yet it seems so the 4-5-1 again.
CORKCELT,
Couldn’t agree more with your post @ 11.38.
I see the SMSM are trying to keep their auld Hungarian grannies happy by fair talking up the Ferencvarians.
For goodness sake are we going to sign a centre half or not . Same old scenario every year with our club . This Duffy carry on has been going on for weeks now , same with a left back . We need these positions strengthened
Never has football been so intertwined with politics.
C’est la vie
UNCLE JIMMY on 22ND AUGUST 2020 11:32 AM
Physically, we look pretty weak at present. I’d like us to add a little height and muscle to the squad.
We may find it difficult against teams who look to put us off of our passing game..
&&&&&&&&&&
Unfortunately we have been in this position for way way too long now . Surprised with the way Neil Lennon played the game , and the big tough guys who backed him up .
Is there any update on Tim Rogic
Going or staying
CORKCELT on 22ND AUGUST 2020 11:38 AM
If you’re in a pub (remember them?), and you’re engaged in conversation with people at your table, do you insist that everyone else in the pub engages only in the topic you wish to discuss?
Or do you just carrying on talking with what you want to talk about and allow others the same liberty?
I’m guessing the latter.
Why not do the same on here?