Bitton deal, here’s an idea, just repay Mikes’ loan

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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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  1. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    Sips

     

     

    The zombies have their heads buried in the sand

     

     

    The ones I know have no idea who to back in the king / mash scrap

  2. BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY on 3RD NOVEMBER 2015 8:47 PM

     

    Cheers mate, text me please, just been dipping in and out of blog these days.

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

    Hail Hail!

  3. Captain Beefheart on

    Jungle jim,

     

     

    Ronny needs support from the board most of all. Wise investment then produces results which produce support from the majority of us.

     

     

    Cifci esque ‘investment’ is disastrous.

  4. inchture bhoy aka neil lennon on

    Just back home from Ronny’s q & a session . Agree with the other guys that he gets the club . I hope that he is here for at least the next 5 years.

     

     

    I think he will make us a real force given the time and opportunity .

  5. TBJ…

     

     

    The Huns in the work had a champagne night when King took over, not many left that you will remember but the cockeyed kid was sending me photos on the night…how I laughed and even more heartily now:)

  6. Kickinthenakas / Telbhoy67

     

     

    Any news or assurances on big Jozo Simo’s availability for Thursday ? I would suggest our Europa league ambitions hinge on his availability.

  7. EDDIEINKIRKMICHAEL on 3RD NOVEMBER 2015 9:25 PM

     

    Seems lying King has already been done for contempt of court.

     

     

    some people neer learn :-))

     

     

    HH

  8. *THE KING VIC 67* on

    ……Deila’s celtic euro record…..

     

     

    Played 23

     

    Won 8 (34.78%)

     

    Lost 8

     

    Drawn 7

     

     

    Won: malmo, malmo, quarabag, stjarnan, dinamo Zagreb,Astra, dinamo Zagreb,Reykjavik

     

     

    Lost: molde, stjarnan, Salzburg, Maribor, legia*, legia*, Reykjavik, inter milan

     

     

    Drawn: fernabache, ajax, quarabag, inter milan, Astra, Salzburg, maribor

  9. Cosy Corner Bhoy on

    Just in to pub to get last bit of CL games (shit refereeing btw) and get a wifi moment! Firstly,5 candles lit in Virgien de Pilar church 4 for cqn leads inc DD and GFRTHB and a personal one.Hope they all get heard! Before I left house I heard the Thatcher mob were selling off the old witch’s clobber and proceeds to family! What are they like! Everyone on here and most others. Will be giving their parents’ clothes to charity. Them… Fn greedy Tory ba….s Gimme,gimme gimme . I hope it is bloody burnywarm do on there.

  10. Well a great night in the Jock Stein Lounge

     

     

    Ronny Deila is a real gentleman, very honest in his answers, and a hard guy not to like.

     

     

    A summary on some of his answers:

     

     

    Playing 2 up front. He tried it last season with Leigh and Scepovic, but it just didn’t work as neither of them were really “hold up” players. He also tried it briefly this season with Leigh and Ciftci, but once again unsuccessfully. Carlton Cole has been brought in with that in mind, and we now have the option to play 2 up front i.e. a Plan B when he was asked why he doesn’t seem to have one.

     

     

    Friday’s “rant”. He laughed when asked about it, but then admitted he couldn’t understand why the Scottish media don’t get behind the only Club representing Scotland in Europe. The total opposite of what would happen in Norway/Sweden, where everybody gets behind their representatives. The media are fixated with focussing on negatives and what happens off the pitch, not on it.

     

     

    Injuries: Broonie will miss next two games, but should be ready to return after the international break. Jozo has a slight knock, but is desperate to play on Thursday and probably will. Carlton Cole will be fit for the squad on Sunday, but will probably be given until after the international break.

     

     

    Tierney. A fantastic young player who he couldn’t keep out the team any longer. Not only great going forward, but can also defend. (A veiled dig at Izzy). Still tiring the last 10 minutes of games, but not because he is unfit, but because he makes so many lung bursting runs up and down the pitch all game.

     

     

    Referees: He couldn’t understand how FIVE referees missed the handball in the SC SF. If they hadn’t, we would definitely have won that game, and would have had a very good chance in the Final against Falkirk. Then the same referee missed 2 stonewall penalties in the Motherwell game.

     

     

    Johannsen. Admitted he is disappointed by most of his games this season. Cited his back problems, but also thinks he lost some of his focus, especially after his best mate Van Dyck left for Southampton. (Seemed to be hinting that Johannsen wanted to follow him). But in recent games he has given full concentration and is coming back to his best.

     

     

    Craig Gordon. He has found it very difficult playing behind a constantly changing back four, but has told Ronny that he is starting to get a good understanding with Boyata and Jozo.

     

  11. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    Sips

     

     

    Suit the huns better to buy their own season tickets rather than champagne but we both know they ain’t that bright

     

     

    I can imagine his selfie with one eye going to the bar and the other coming back with the crisps

     

     

    Was just saying to a guy in my work today that I kinda miss being in your place now as it must be magic to really rub it into the zombies

  12. Inchture bhoy

     

     

    Cheers. Good to hear.

     

     

    All being well….

     

     

    ——————— C.Gordon——————–

     

     

    Lustig. Boyata. Jozo Simo. Tierney

     

     

    ————–Bitton. Johansen—————-

     

     

    —Commons. Rogic. Forrest——

     

     

    —————-Griffiths——————–

     

     

     

    Funnily enough, simply by having Johansen ( a left footer) pairing up with Bitton (right footer) seems to have given the team better balance, compared with Broony + Bitton.

  13. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    COSY CORNER BHOY on 3RD NOVEMBER 2015 9:37 PM

     

     

    Her family attempted to donate her clothing to the V. and A. but their offer was refused.

     

    That puts a slightly different complexion on things.

     

    No?

  14. Ruggyman

     

     

    Says he should be fit.

     

    Broony out til after international weekend

     

    Forrest ok

     

    Cole might make bench for Ross County

     

    Looks like Tierney will start great defender and good going forward but can’t last 90 mins (Ronnys take)

     

    Tried 2 up..not working too well with players we have

     

    Kikinthenakas

  15. Captain Beefheart on

    Cosy, are you sure that only Tories are greedy barstewards?

     

     

    Socialists are among the worst of the money grabbers. Labour is awash with miilionare hypocrites.

     

     

    Back to football. Ronny’s Euro record isn’t very good but he hasn’t been given enough support from the board.

  16. TBJ…

     

     

    It’s not too good in there at the moment, yanks over again, usually bad news, a few midget Huns are shaking in there boots.

  17. “Back to football. Ronny’s Euro record isn’t very good but he hasn’t been given enough support from the board”

     

     

    Captain,

     

     

    Given the levels of investment I’d say his record isn’t a million miles of any other previous managers first two euro seasons.

     

     

    HH

  18. inchture bhoy aka neil lennon on

    Ronny also said he expects Forrest and Armstrong to score more goals and that he thinks that come the new year we will move up a level and become much better.

     

     

    Doesn’t expect anyone will be desperate to leave in the summer unlike last 2 years with virgil and FF.

  19. Captain Beefheart on

    Maybe so Geordie. I am confident that we will win the next game though.

     

     

    Thanks for the Ronny news guys.

  20. Have to say, I would much rather Ronny’s teams deliver better performances in many games, particularly against some much poorer European teams we have met ( in my opinion)

     

    Than deliver a convincing speech to fans

     

    He needs to explain his consistent failures in some repetitive tactics – aka Molde away, we all seen that before.

     

    I would love to see him succeed, let’s see his teams deliver the results

     

     

    Hail Hail

  21. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    Sips

     

     

    I met Colin m at half time on Saturday – he filled me in about shifts and other changes .

     

     

    To be honest most of what he said is pretty normal in the places I have worked since I left yours. But I realise it might be resisted in yours

     

     

    I would love you to tell me Clarence is for the off BTW

  22. I asked last night, and no one responded

     

    Ronny expects James Forrest to be contributing more goals to the teams ( I would be just as happy if he was creating more)

     

    But

     

    Should we offering James a new contract ?

     

    Could young Christie be his replacement ?

     

     

    Only asking, and Celtic talk :-)

     

     

    Hail Hail

  23. IM Confident we Will Beat Molde on Thurs , Heres Why..Molde Know that 3pts more Will Def Get them Through, most likely head the Group, Even if they Lose at Celtic Park they have 2 more Chances, And Theres The Rub, Human Nature Usually Takes the Easy Way Out, Their BIG game is Fenerbache At Home, They Win That..Job Done..No matter what they Say that Will be Their Focus…Thats Why im Super Confident of Victory…COYBIG..