Very pleased to hear Nir Bitton has signed a contract until 2020. Five years is an astonishing extension for a player who is clearly heading in the right direction. It gives Celtic assurance that they don’t need to worry about a key player’s contract running down for the foreseeable future.
Nir was the first manifestation of Ronny Deila’s player-improvement work. At the start of last year he was little more than a squad addition, a bit like Leigh Griffiths, but he’s since excelled in domestic and European football, as well as for Israel in the Euro qualifiers.
Let’s see if he can continue to improve.
I note the media going ‘a bit Tonto’ over Sports Direct’s insistence that the Rangers Former Players Benevolent Fund stop using trademarks they own. I know this will make many people swallow hard, but’s be clear, if the Celtic Former Players Association were selling merchandise bearing the Celtic crest the club would be saying “Cease and Desist that right now, Joe”. Same is true if you are a fan selling T-shirts or street vendor selling scarves.
Without making moral judgements, football clubs earn money from licensing their logos, you want to use it, you pay. You don’t pay, the club cannot discriminate between who they pursue and who they don’t, as such discriminatory behaviour would be a legitimate defence in law by a transgressor.
Sports Direct own thousands of logos and brands. They will have a department sweeping for infringements and they don’t strike me as the kind of company who let any slip through without action. I’d be amazed if Mike Ashley, or any senior SD staff, were even aware of the action. Cease instructions will come out from the legal team without a second thought.
What remains galling to some is the fact that Newco have to take instructions from Sports Direct on use of logos and other IP. This, on top of the whole Fifa 2016 indignity, could be ended by repaying the Sports Direct £5m loan.
Why wouldn’t they stop the embarrassment and just pay Mike his money? He’s not going to cut a new deal, no positive accommodation is ever going to happen, all that lies ahead is more embarrassment, and the risk of Ashley taking genuinely draconic action to recover his loan. I’m sure they money’s there to repay, right?
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It’s an audacious chip
Celtic
Drumlaurgagh Csc
Gooooooal ⚽️
3RD NOVEMBER 2015 12:21 PM
So basically Ashley is telling King to keep his mouth shut.No asking for money back,no removal of 5 stars. John James,James Forrest and Phil Mac haven’t got a clue what is going on.
By the Time the 7 year retail deal is up. Ashley will have sold Newcastle buy the Tribute act and fleece the gullible some more. Zombies will be run properly. It’s all about SPORTS DIRECT.
Being a Tuesday morning quarterback, Ronnie has to beat Molde – qualify for the next round in fact- or I’m off the bus.
lennon’s passion
Big Mike isnae selling Newcastle anytime soon. Especially not to buy Sevco.
The money that you can generate from an EPL side is way beyond the Zombie Pound. He will continue to own Newcastle while fleecing any desperate clubs without owning ala Sevco.
The owners of Manchester United and Arsenal take millions out the club every year for “expenses and services”
Hoooooopy Birthday BRT&H, have a great day.
Re; Beating Molde
We need 6 points from the two home games.
We might even need a point in Turkey on top of that.
GASL seems to occupy some kind of alternative universe. His sense of right and wrong seems seriously skewed, and his seeming lack of understanding of the fact that these days all of his public pronouncments are recorded and can be used as a stick to beat him, when he tries to rewrite events, is astonishing.
Supporters eh? Lovely!
The Bitton deal is a genuinely cracking bit of news. As for Sports Direct, Sevco and that £5m loan… well here are some thoughts on the coverage…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2015/11/03/an-apology-from-the-clumpany/
Have a great day!
FAN-A-TIC on 3RD NOVEMBER 2015 12:20 PM
Tony Donnelly
Your constant sniping at true Celtic supporters is becoming hunlike.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/building-leigh-griffiths/comment-page-9/#comments
My constant snipping at people who have nothing to do but question everything Celtic do will go on as long as I want it to, do I care if it upsets you get upset? Well, as much as you care about me getting upset.
Fair comment Paul, just pay the man his money. Doubtless more intelligent beings than us have put the matter under the legal lens.
Problem is, the Cost-Benefit equation doesn’t justify it until there is legal clarity on the status of the assets.
Meantime, there’s more pressing need elsewhere in the business for £5M: Working Capital. IF RIFC has £5M to hand, it goes towards keeping the business open.
IF it doesn’t have the dough to hand, and £5M would probably sustain the losses for the next 5 months, it ends badly for RIFC. But quite satisfactorily for His Mikeness, who gets to decide which successor holding company vehicle gets to use the trading name and marks. And on what terms.
What does Game Theory predict when the hand dealt cannot win in the short term, but staying in the game long enough requires a bigger bankroll than the player can pony up? And indeed, a bigger bankroll than the value of the prize being played for?
Are we getting into ‘good money after bad’ territory yet?
Celtic have just signed a £10 million player for the next 5 years.Fantastic bit of business by PL.Not often you will hear me say that !!!!!!!.Really delighted with the news.As Paul says,we are,this season,beginning to see the fruits of RDs management skills.Leigh,Nir,Rogic,have all improved greatly under RD.Even Broony is playing the best football of his career.This team is beginning to take real shape.We now have 2 Celtic owned CHs,here for the future.Two of the best young playmaker/midfielders,signed up.Whatever happens in Europe this year,we are looking far stronger for the qualifiers next year already.If big Carlton does the business we could be a formidable outfit for these games.
I think the futures bright.
LENNONSPASSION
Ashley is first and foremost a businessman. And a very well advised one at that,for which he wisely pays a lot of money.
He will look at the income stream from his interests in Newcastle. Even without fan involvement,it totally dwarves any potential income from Rangers.
He will look at the income stream from Rangers. It doesn’t exist,and hasn’t done for about half-a-century. Rangers is a loss-making business. It has been for many a long year. A vanity project,in short.
Pools money kept it afloat in the past,merchandise may well do in the future. Though that is doubtful,tbh,with their P/L situation as it stands.
He already has the merchandise,why risk the rest?
And if the club folds,he puts more money into his hip.
I’m sure they money’s there to repay, right?
Dont think so?
HH
An tearman
Me? I have no agenda, when charity is in volved agendas and politics should be no where near it.
It should be ran by the passion to do it, and also by the heart to give to it, simple as that.
TONYDONNELLY
In that case,despite your misgivings about an agenda,why not give anyway?
Out of the goodness of your heart…
Silly me! I forgot.
In such a situation, you put up someone else’s money.
Need to be quite the pitch to get it though. Where’s Lyle Lanley when you need him?
Tony Donnelly67
your attention seeking and lauded fame for causing ructions on the blog are mostly a one word conversation on bumping into others form here,and it rhymes with Mc Grains first name.
Understand Tony,thinking like yours and board adoration took our club to within a whisker of closing.
you have to let seep into the core of your cranium that events in 1994 coupled with historic suspiscion of the board prior to that should ensure dissent is always allowed.
it would help if you explained why? you think your way,whats the make up behind you acting as tho other Celtic fans do not want a Celtic as good as your dream or mine
Debate instead haranging our founding goals.
if you want to erase debate go southside!!
hail hail
I do give, and I do it regularly, because that’s what I do, but to give to an organisation who are using it as a rung in their agenda ladder? Naaaaaaaaaa, doesent sit right with me, but that’s me, and that’s them.
Well done to lawell and the board in tieing bitton up for the 5 years. Great business .
The Battered Bunnet
Here he is :))))))))))))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDOI0cq6GZM
THEBATTEREDBUNNET
I think Mr Lanley was heavily involved in the floating pitch,erm,pitch.
He’s still expecting this to take off,apparently. Just awaiting asbestos removal,and then it’s all systems go.
Brilliant from “The Clumpany”today.As usual.
No matter what happens with the Huns,and I think it WILL end badly,how much fun has it been?.Since 2012 we have been chuckling,guffawing,rolling about with laughter at them.Three and half years of mirth you just could not buy.Before we all knew how horrible and ugly,bigoted and bitter,they were,but did any of us really know how stupid and thick they were?.That never really was part of that rivalry,that I remember.
Gives me a fantastic ,rosy glow,to think of them wallowing around in some nightmarish existence,not knowing where to turn,unsure of any future,too lacking in any grey matter to figure anything out.
In fact,just like Zombies.Really,just like them.
TONYDONNELLY
Personally,when I donate to charity,I don’t make a song and dance about it.
I don’t know anyone who does.
AN TEARMANN on 3RD NOVEMBER 2015 12:48 PM
Well if we are playing the name calling game? When it’s you …..I’d be thinking of the Celtic goalkeepers first name, who played in the 7-1 game against the Huns. Is this how it works?
We all know that the entity currently based at Ibrox can’t pay the £5m back, but I know a man who can. Step forward Real Rangers Man Dave C King! Time to over-invest, Dave. You can do it.
Can’t you?
Dave?
BMCUW
Ashley doesn’t want to own ‘Rangers’ the football operation. He really doesn’t. He just wants to own the brand and the rights to retail such branded goods.
He’s nearly there. Currently, he gets a lot of millions of margin on such sales. That’s good business. The way things are going, he’s likely to get another few bawbees from someone who does want to own such a football operation. Let’s call that person The Next Chump.
If RIFC can’t trade their way out of the current mess, Ashley inherits the Badge, and there’ll be no ‘Rangers’ without paying Mike his dues.
The last thing he wants is to find himself obliged to underwrite losses at a football operation. That’s bad business. That’s what Chumps are for. Unless the current mob solve the conundrum, The Next Chump will quite likely have a Rangers Franchise under Licence from Ashley.
Still think we should have all chipped in and bought the huns for a few million when their shares were lower than 20p. I know its good money after bad..
And I don’t make a song and dance about it either, so cut the usual spin, I asked if there was a petition involved, you said there was, I said I would be declining, I just don’t give, I like to know if I’m comfortable with the charity and who is running it, in this case I wasent, now if you want to continue going down this line I will, but if we do? I doubt if it would be doing the charity drive any good, so I’d back off, it’s only my way of thinking, so don’t be making a big deal out of nothing, I’d rather you left it at that.
The Battered Bunnet
The only worrying thing for Mike is if Charles Green is found guilty of criminally purchasing the assets
Surely the trademarks would revert back to BDO?
I can only imagine thats why Ashley is moving on King now.
TD67
You never intended to hand over to the GB, it would kill you to help them and then hear them getting praised for organising it.
You have made a whole drama out of nothing.
TIMALOY29 on 3RD NOVEMBER 2015 1:02 PM
The Battered Bunnet
The only worrying thing for Mike is if Charles Green is found guilty of criminally purchasing the assets
Surely the trademarks would revert back to BDO?
I can only imagine thats why Ashley is moving on King now.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/bitton-deal-heres-an-idea-just-repay-mikes-loan/#sthash.WIr3TOvb.dpuf
Very good point, funny enough a friend of mine said that to me this morning.
Turkeybhoy on 3rd November 2015 12:36 pm
Whilst I myself am still in the Ronny camp – you must have slept through the Molde game.
Tactics and positioning of seasoned pro’s was appallingly naive.
So the praise has to be kept in reserve until we see that improvement transcend onto the pitch during European matches and so far there have been more ‘bad days at the office’ than there are good ones.
Here’s hoping.
There’s no telling what will come out of the “D&P” trial, or what the consequences might be, hence the material doubt hanging over RIFC.
However, it’s unlikely BDO would ask the court to reduce the asset purchae agreement. BDO’s remit is to recover value for Creditors. IF the assets were bought for a sum below true market value, the easiest – most convenient – solution is for TRFC Ltd to square up the shortfall.
TRFC Ltd, after all, was the vehicle used to acquire the assets in what is alleged as a fraud. TRFC Ltd cannot be permitted to benefit from such a set of circumstances.
I doubt though that the sum involved is particularly significant. Maybe a million or two between what was paid and what might have been expected in the circumstances.
It makes no sense to unravel the deal over a lousy million or two. The hugely negative impact on RIFC shareholders, creditors and other stakeholders would not be justified by that outcome. The Law is a practical animal as well as an arbitrary one.
Let’s say that the readers of Celtic Quick News decided to buy a business. We think we have enough collective skills on here to be able to run it.
So we buy a successful retail business which is a major stockist of some well known brands. The business has stores all over the UK and has a successful website which is making lots of money every month.
So what do the brains on CQN decide to do?
First we decide to tell all our suppliers, from those well know brands that things are going to be bigger, better and more successful and we intent to grow the business etc
We then place significantly bigger orders with them all. (They then have to fulfill the orders by going to their suppliers, usually in Asia and upping their own orders).
We then have a look at that money making website and close it down – it’s way too tricky for us to run.
We then make life as difficult as possible for the better, most valuable members of staff. They’re talented, they won’t take it, they’ll hand in their notice and then where will we be?
They hand in their notice and we are left with the less impressive members of staff.
We soldier on. (The blog is in uproar).
We then have a big sale with the stock we inherited, before the new stuff ‘arrives’.
From this we get our money back from buying the business in the first place.
All the stores are leased and there will be a big payment due soon, let’s say Boxing Day. But we’ll worry about that then.
Meanwhile the low wage workers in Asia have been busy and the increased orders are starting to arrive in the UK. It’s time to pay for the orders.
So we invite the brands to come in and when they are at their most vulnerable (having increased the size of their order to accommodate their one of their biggest retailers and having paid for it upfront), we cancel the order.
Some of these brands will be in real trouble. Some will go to the wall.
Boxing Day comes. We have been selling as much of the stuff we have in the warehouse at discounted prices for months. Money for old rope.
The warehouse is emptying but we decide its time to clear it out. We take all that’s there and make everyone redundant. We close some stores, sell off some others and then go bust.
Some of those brands are strong enough to take the hit from the disappointment of the cancelled orders. We are bust so they can’t sue us. They take it on the chin and move on, vowing never to work with us again.
Meanwhile the ones that weren’t so strong. Great brands nevertheless…
So where are we at this stage?
Money spent on buying the business – recouped with a decent surplus.
Brands – orders cancelled.
Rent – not paid.
Staff – removed as cheaply as possible.
Company eventually in liquidation.
But with the surplus money – which we have squirreled away, we can spent this on something.
We hear there’s some distressed brands going cheap.
End result. Business we bought LIQUIDATION. Brands owned by US at ZERO cost, indeed we may have made a profit in acquiring them.
Clever guys those Bhoys on CQN. This time next year they will all be Billionaires.
PROUDBHOY on 3RD NOVEMBER 2015 1:09 PM
TD67
You never intended to hand over to the GB, it would kill you to help them and then hear them getting praised for organising it.
You have made a whole drama out of nothing.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/bitton-deal-heres-an-idea-just-repay-mikes-loan/#sthash.tSWyJkaT.dpuf
Good try, I think you posted that yesterday, or someone did, you see as usual your missing the point, jumping in to quick to put spin on it, (who does that?) my point is/ was, that the first food drive I did at Celtic park I had a petition stuck in my face, and I didn’t like it, it got a wee bit heated and loud, and I swore it would never happen again, that is why I asked the question, so best leave it at that and let them get on with it, I’m giving it no more oxygen.