August is a perilous time for predictions. Teams are still working on fitness, new arrivals are often learning the language, and until the window closes, players can still come and go, affecting the performance of anyone competing for the title.
That’s easy for us to say, though. Across the city, all they can see is the unstoppable Celtic machine grinding all before it on the way to four-in-a-row. I doubt our optimism, or Newco’s pessimism are a full reflection on the reality of where we are.
Celtic are by far the stronger side right now, but we have to prepare for a guaranteed eight Champions League games. Only three times in our history have we played as many games in a European competition proper. Do you think we have the bandwidth to cope with that load?
We have two strikers, one left back and the manager seems to trust only two central defenders. A lot could change between now and the turn of the year.
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Test
The forensic criticism of defenders like Greg and Liam is insightful and also frequently irrelevant.
It’s as if there’s a belief if you spend 7 – 30mill on a player, you’d never any goals from that player’s position.
The theory adds that the more you pay, the more flawless the player you get – that seems fanciful
If that was so, all teams with high price tag players wouldn’t concede any goals.
Am sure Ange said it; defending is a whole o team responsibility; it’s about how we stand up or full down as a unit. Let’s strengthen the squad w better players – don’t expect them – or the guys already in the side – to be perfect robots in every game. HH
There is little doubt that Celtic are a very well run club. We are a country mile ahead of the ” competition ” we face domestically.
We are now expected to win every domestic competition we participate in, indeed it is a major shock if we don’t win every game.
This is where we are in Scotland.
However in the UK we sit 22nd in the most valuable club with an estimated value of £104m.
Brighton’s value has soared and they are now the 10th most valuable club valued at £455m.
This is purely down to geography, but it is real.
Our model works and any expensive buys must be seen to enhance our European pedigree then move on.
I would love MOR to give us anotjer year, but the player may feel he has done Europe and he has now ” outgrown ” Scottish football and seeks a new weekly challenge. And of course the financial rewards that follow.
Put simply our league does not have the sustainability and attraction to keep quality players, even if playing for a quality club..
I really don’t see what is in our ability to resolve that dilemma.
What we can do is optimise our European credentials. Do all we can do to create legendary nights. Nights that players will talk about with huge media interest. Nights that players will want to be part of. For a while.
To do this we need to be intutitive. Marketing overdrive, packages priced competitively and incentivise the players and management team.
Success in Europe will bring sucess in attracting quality players. Even if said players only stay for a limited
period. As Ange stated , dont get to familiarised with
players.
As for domestic football we can and should enhance our match day experience. Play fast, attacking and entertaining football ( Which we are currently doing ) . Optimise our space . Pop up family attractions, pre match entertainment etc etc.
We may not ever be in the richest bracket of European players, but we can still put on a show.
HH, the journey continues.
Wanyama,VVD,were projects.Jota,and CCV were projects.Idah is a project.You know the kind of players many were going ballistic at their signings not too long ago.Everything is luck and chance.Projects become stars,stars become diddies.
Idah plays consistently like he did last season for us,in a couple of years,I think,North of £20 million,at least.
Greenpinata @ 11:37
Great post – interesting, insightful and truthful.
Real good post GREENPINATA
When you write ‘…Put simply our league does not have the sustainability and attraction to keep quality players, even if playing for a quality club.’
I think AJ, Callum, CCV, James Forrest, Kyogo are all top quality players but the duration of their stays made me Google: Found this article that claims the average stay of a player in the top team of any club is a measly 2.2 years: https://football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/mr/mr49/en/
By that standard the playing squad stability we’ve enjoyed is no’ too bad akshully.
Another reason to enjoy being a Celt.
Hi All,
I just get a wee bit hot under the collar when folks say that some of our players are just not good enough, for Europe or else!!! These guys have worked their arses off to get in the position that they are in and know that they are only a few games away from being replaced. This is their career and they thrive on support from their teammates and fans. As I mentioned earlier, I will trust the judgement of the managers who keep picking these guys for our club and their country. If we were to go back and look at the mistakes many of our heroes made in the past, then we might look on them in a different way, but today’s players are judged so quickly in my opinion. My dream was over at Celtic after 3 1/2 years and then the experts started telling me what I could have done better to stay there!!!! Somethings you cannot avoid like injuries and such but I wouldn’t trade those days for anything or any money in the world. Thank goodness my own kids do not tell me everyday what I do wrong as I would suck at a father and husband I guess:)))
Hail Hail and I respect everyone’s opinion of players but will always stand up for those that wear the hoops!!!
The words of the song say we are Celtic supporters faithful through and through, and over and over we will follow you.
Sean
Another good post underscored by actual lived experience.
HH Sean.
quadrophenian on @12:03am.
Another good post underscored by actual lived experience.
HH Sean.
……………
You must have been the one sitting next to him holding his hand, ploughing more Old Firm money into the Old Firm PLC`s coffers?
Anything to keep the scam scum alive eh.
No ordinary Joe,, just a fan who was lucky to wear the jersey and walk through those doors everyday for a number of years, never taking any day for granted. I support Celtic, not the board or the money men, but if I choose to pay for a ticket at any time then that’s my choice. I live my club, no more no less than other good tims and I’ll stand up for it all the time. If it wasn’t for Celtic and Tommy burns, I wouldn’t have the life I am fortunate enough to have in America. As I said I respect peoples opinions but will never post anything that I feel is upsetting to another fellow Celtic fan or critique every aspect of our club. Our club has so many great things going for it right now and that is where my love and respect is.
Hail hail
Sean
Boondocks Saint – A couple of very heartfelt posts there. Thank you sir.
To all – Whilst I am a critical of our board an Imo the way the are holding us back from the next level, (which I believe is a decent run in Europe to start with, then go again next year etc by building on an improved CL squad each year) my voice makes no difference, its the amount of decent managers who will walk if not getting backed properly.
Let us see what happens here. As I belive Brendan is not a happy chappy at the amount of time in tying up players. Although to be fair to our board 2 players GK and CF in 6 months is quite good, the 2 we needed.
Now Brendan like most football managers is not a daft guy, if he has asked for upgrades to certain positions and it does not happen, well we know what happened last time.
History is repeating itself.
All this crappie how are we weaker than last year, for goodness sake you Having a laugh. Each year you should be stronger in numbers and quality than last.
I am beginning to think Mr Liewell has a few placements posting on cqn.
As I said before a ball was kicked in earnest we will win a treble unfortunately so does Pistol Pete and his bean/bonus counting pals and therein lies the problem with the manager.
D. :)
Celtic go on …no matter who leaves …don’t let the door hit you arse on the way out …ciao 🍀
I see twin racists,galloway cobblers and Brexit boat chasers (ordinary racist,park the racist,418 racists,floating racist to name a few) and (JHB,cloud9,dobwin,oops Darwin,wee Andrena and Tommy-paid gobbler phone in and sycophant extraordinaire.
We see you trash.
Gp-There is little doubt that Celtic are a very well run club. We are a country mile ahead of the ” competition ” we face domestically.
GpWe are now expected to win every domestic competition we participate in, indeed it is a major shock if we don’t win every game.
AT-Winning and participating is what Celtic have always been about Gp you only have to look back to last season when ‘a major shock’as you put it
was on cards.what we done last year was down to our manager& team and their confidence in each other,a confidence that quickly melts into entitlement and a hubristic hun like self harm in a fanbase who have never known anything other than winning
Gp-This is where we are in Scotland.
AT Where else would we be?
Gp-However in the UK we sit 22nd in the most valuable club with an estimated value of £104m.
AT- we sit 22nd/£104m- source please Gp thanks
– within that what is it’s definition of value as in most valuable/estimated value
Gp-Brighton’s value has soared and they are now the 10th most valuable club valued at £455m.
AT-Source again Gp,is it European comparison?
Or a simple contrast with Celtic and EPL,without mentioning tv revenues
Gp-This is purely down to geography, but it is real.
AT- Geography we can’t help GP,and it is a little remiss not to note differential in tv deal.ie Celtic last treble received just over £5m in prizemoney compared to Southampton who got £106m for being relegated in Epl
GP- Our model works and any expensive buys must be seen to enhance our European pedigree then move on.
AT -this ‘model’thing is a fit all description do you mean like MoR £1.5m to £30m(I hope he stays)
Is this the same model where we loose our youth(thanks willo flood) to championship teams as 1st team is the only show in town here and there no supporting league structure underneath that league.
I accept we need more 6to8m players to sell for 40+m
GP-I would love MOR to give us another year, but the player may feel he has done Europe and he has now ” outgrown ” Scottish football and seeks a new weekly challenge. And of course the financial rewards that follow.
AT MOR,me too,the above possibly makes sense read back to front,the financial rewards will drive a lot of his decision making,any footballer I have met want to play at the highest level CL,with whatever club they play,in MOR case keep with the winning mentality
Gp-Put simply our league does not have the sustainability and attraction to keep quality players, even if playing for a quality club..
AT-Again you omit money Gp,wages.Scotland is only goin the same way as Scandinavia,Eastern Europe,even France is feeling it.The Epl,Scudetto,liga and Bundesliga socks in most of the money and success to the exclusion of all other countries trying to not feel excluded,UEFA have buckled,by admitting 4to 5 entrants in its top tourney,it defeats the spread of football with zero chance of a Porto,Red Star or Malmo reaching a final again,those countries excluded as their home talent seek football&wages elsewhere
Gp-I really don’t see what is in our ability to resolve that dilemma.
AT- There is always solutions,we could start with giving our own league more support instead of 1 top tier.ie youth,reserves as B league is way to remote.
Gp-What we can do is optimise our European credentials. Do all we can do to create legendary nights. Nights that players will talk about with huge media interest. Nights that players will want to be part of. For a while.
AT- We may have 3to4 qualifiers next season,let’s see if our model is strong enough then Gp,nights that see Celtic winning in Europe,Celtic playin in Europe is always a legendary experience,winning which is a strong part of our DNA
GP-To do this we need to be intutitive. Marketing overdrive, packages priced competitively and incentivise the players and management team.
AT- What intuition or marketing would you implement to stop the laziness(not you) of as long as we are ahead of the huns,what would be a successful marketing shout Gp £35 a ticket,child,youth pricing,home&away combos,this is all new this format but a lot to be explored.The players and management will be bonusd up don’t worry of that
GP-Success in Europe will bring sucess in attracting quality players. Even if said players only stay for a limited period. As Ange stated , dont get to familiarised with players
AT – I agree but success here comes first,for example last year we nearly had potential loss of £45to60m as we faltered at 2nd for a week or 2,the gnashing of teeth and propensity to self destruct set in pretty quickly,as we were temporarily behind in the race for guaranteed CL place,notable then there was not a word from the only want to finish ahead of the huns mob,as our hubris was under question from its natural home.
GP-As for domestic football we can and should enhance our match day experience. Play fast, attacking and entertaining football ( Which we are currently doing ) . Optimise our space . Pop up family attractions, pre match entertainment etc etc.
AT – As Stivs shows we can’t agree on ticket exchange scheme!To utilise unused tickets.We should do more for the next generation coming thro as the age demographic of Celtic gets older
GP-We may not ever be in the richest bracket of European players, but we can still put on a show.
AT as has been shown by various Green Brigade tifos in European and domestic games
GP-HH, the journey continues.
AT agreed,it has been that way since we left St Mary’s Hall.
I hope we do invest now,I believe CLformat will grow and evolve into a European league,remember when originally starting it had 2 groups and expanded,this will too imo.
Hope your well and get out of the Drovers quick enough to meet Hoopy :-)) as always lots to be goin on with.
HH
Good Morning Celts – Grand Day To Be A Tim
Some very good observant and heartfelt comments, an emotional time of year no doubts…
GREENPINATA… never know where all these various valuations come from, is that squad value? It Certainly isn’t Celtic PLC who has got close to that in liquid assets. Great post
TURKEYBHOY… Not sure anyone was going ballistic over those players, well not in a bad way, my feelings were fholk were disappointed with the speculative signings from Mo Bangura to Mark Tilio and the hundred such inbetween.
We’ll have to see how things pan out, improving the “model” with quality over quantity must surely be a good thing – remember both Ange and Brendan have been talking about a players attitude and teamwork being hugely important in recruitment, this obsession with “cost” isn’t helpful.
Hail Hail
https://x.com/CelticFCSLO/status/1825848151321833901?t=y3kicLRf0ZhAIZIcbTWYjQ&s=19
Good morning all from Dublin.
AT, Chairbhoy
Sourse and link as requested.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/football/25-most-valuable-british-football-clubs/ar-AA1oZ3KI
Cheers and HH
Celtic have been crowned the best-run club in Britain as they Scottish champions saw off competition from English Premier League heavyweights.
The Fair Game Index have declared that Celtic have earned the title of of most-well run club after carrying out a comparison of areas including fan and community engagement, equality and ethical standards and financial sustainability. Tottenham Hotspur rank in second – while Hearts sit in third spot. Manchester United and Hibs round out the top five of the index.
The results make good reading for Scottish football in general with the majority of the top 10 best-run clubs coming from north of the border. The report notes that this indicates that “the game is generally better run north of the border” as well as suggesting that “success in Scottish football is more tied to responsible stewardship than it is in England.”
Celtic have been crowned the best-run club in Britain as they Scottish champions saw off competition from English Premier League heavyweights.
The Fair Game Index have declared that Celtic have earned the title of of most-well run club after carrying out a comparison of areas including fan and community engagement, equality and ethical standards and financial sustainability. Tottenham Hotspur rank in second – while Hearts sit in third spot. Manchester United and Hibs round out the top five of the index.
…………..
Ive no idea who ” Fair Game Index” are ?
Top of the mornin to BRB.
Hope the weather is OK. Thank God they put roofs on pubs.
HH
I am not sure if this helps BIG JIMMY.
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport/24527997.spfl-teams-feature-2024-fair-game-index/
Mornin.
SCULLYBHOY, that link you provided for the FAIR GAME INDEX cannot be taken seriously. I mean, I had a look and there is no mention of the Glasgow Times’ favourite club being one of the best run clubs in the country (or universe) so the article must be a spoof.
Or, are the other Glasgow ‘giants’ not well run? Must be a mistake surely.
Ave Ave
Nell McCafferty RIP
My hopes for Idah is that he stays ten years with us and goes on to score a couple hundred goals for his boyhood club.
If he did do that, would we claim his signing wasn’t a success because we never got tens of millions back on selling him ?
Please correct me where wrong
We should buy three 7-9m players for 18m and sell them for 90-120m
Adam Idah’s value will more than triple in two years.
We are a super well run strategy perusing a disastrous recruitment strategy that’s now become the only way we can compete in Europe. By selling our best players, who we can’t replace.
Seemingly all it takes is one endorsement from Brendan and all the talk of quality is conveniently forgotten. I wonder if we’ll see a revision of even last summers disaster at some point – January doesn’t seem so bad already with Kuhn and Idah becoming fan favorites
Perhaps none of this is the case and we’ll be back to squabbling about the same old crap soon enough
Perhaps Brendan has been ground down by the penny pinching screen professionals and realizes the only way to get his hands on the cash like is to play by the rules but change a few by stealth
Or maybe, my own opinion, Brendan has realized with time that the only way to field a load of cl quality players is to take the raw materials and make them himself. And that cl quality experienced players won’t come to Scotland to play in the spl for what we can pay in transfer fees and wages.
I think Brendan is a pragmatist, I think he’s realized that our development model s the only game in town and I think he’s leveraging his position (double winner, great start to the season, past history forgotten, comments about away fans allocations being a “Rangers” thing) as hard as he can. He’s trying to get the board to buy a more expensive development player which I can’t see anyone having a problem with
Of course the problem isn’t dissimilar to the one we faced signing experienced players. I’m real-world situations, not online arguments, players worth 7-8m will have more than one option and more often than not it will be from a better league than the SPL. Not saying that Celtic and Brendan isn’t attractive, but if there’s a choice to bypass Celtic and go straight to a top 5 league most players and their agents will take it.
I think what we really should start doing is stop taking everything Brendan says at face value and understand he’s just trying to get what he can, while understanding that he’s not going to get everything he’s asking for, or he’ll leave.
He’s just doing his job, trying to prize as much money from the board as he can, it’s a story as old as football, but he can’t expect to do an about turn in the sirtcif players he wants in less than a year and expect that everyone will give him everything he wants straight away
AN DÚN on 21ST AUGUST 2024 9:26 AM
Nobody would
Totally agree with your very well laid out points Greenpinata.
It will be like this until we can get an escape from SPhelL so long as it’s after we beat ragers 1&2 comb8ned record first.
In 2000 Celtic signed Chris Sutton for 6m and paid him around 35k, we ended the season nearly 50m in debt in todays money.
In 2024 Spurs paid 65m for Dominic Solanke and probably doubled his wages to 150k a week.
Morning all.
celtic40me on 21st August 2024 9:54 am
In 2000 Celtic signed Chris Sutton for 6m and paid him around 35k, we ended the season nearly 50m in debt in todays money.
In 2024 Spurs paid 65m for Dominic Solanke and probably doubled his wages to 150k a week.
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Sad reality of being in Scotland.
So this Fair game report mentions fan engagement, where did they get that evidence. Many on here and other sites are highly critical of the reverse 😐
Tauranga Bhoy
We won’t escape the SPLHell,do tell where we would go as a Scottish club?
All access to European competition is via winning it’s trophies.it was always so.
The only way out is if the reformatted CL grows as did the original CL from its two groups in 1992,enabling a change in budget nexus from spl
to Europe.
Are you still supportive of the zionists genocide in Gaza and the west bank?
HH
David 66
So if Brendan is not happy what would the solution be to make him happy and how would it be achieved ?
AN Tearmann never say never. 8 games against 8 teams this year. Maybe a euro league in the future.
‘Manchester City consider a move for Kyogo’ Fabrizio Romano.
How reliable is this guy or just click bait?