Bookies, taxi drivers and Best of the Rest

I know we’ve touched on this recently but it’s worth repeating.  Celtic will meet with and speak to many candidates for the manager’s job.  Some will be genuine ‘targets’, some will be applicants, who the club meet out of courtesy, some will be more general fishing exercises.

Agents, taxi drivers, hotel staff and grannies will get wind, so information slips out.  As a result, this information attracts considerably more weight that the unknown activity which is going on simultaneously.

If the bookies know Celtic have met someone, that person becomes favourite for the job, because the bookies know very little about what is going on.  Bookies know they are in the dark, so the risk of a significant exposure on one position is great.  Their market can also quickly become illiquid, not allowing them to defray the risk.

Right now Celtic are still considering options, no one has been offered anything.  Even when they get to offer stage, there will still be a way to go before an appointment is made.

I see Aberdeen have signed two new players this week, as well as securing one of last season’s loaners on a permanent deal, and extending the contracts of Anderson, Robson and Nicky Low.  These are the actions of a solvent, forward-planning football club, and they’re not alone in the Premiership.  If you’re betting on anything, back them as Best of the Rest, but it’s probably more profitable to keep your cash in your pocket.

If you missed it yesterday………

Lisbon Lion John Hughes is joining Brogan Rogan, Auldheid and Angela Haggerty for a CQN Question and Answer evening at the Manor Club, Wimbledon, on 21 June. The event is ticket only, so let me know if you would like to attend, celticquicknews@gmail.com

Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his tome, All the Best.

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