You have only to cast your mind back 8 months, as Celtic tried to convince Ryan Christie to sign a new contract, to know the threats posed by teams in the English Championship to a Scottish club trying to retain their players.
Hard cash is required and not just for the one player you are trying to convince to re-sign, there is an entire wage structure to consider. There are a multitude of reasons Newco needed to beat Celtic on Sunday, but for their players, no issue is more important than who they sign their next contract with.
Three of their starting line-up against Celtic are going into the final year of their contract: Kent, Aribo and Jack, as is substitute Arfield, unused sub Helander and injured Morelos. A further three of the starting line-up are out of contract next month: Goldson, Balogun and McGregor, along with loanee Ramsey and unused sub Davis.
McGregor (40) and Davis (37) will almost certainly retire. Balogun (33) is likely to accept any contract. Goldson has made it clear he will leave next month, while the other six will look for improved contracts or be prepared to run the clock down on their time at Ibrox.
Champions League qualification would resolve all these problems. Instead, they face a rebuild. This is not impossible. Between Edouard, Ajer, Christie and Frimpong, Celtic raised over £40m, money which filled the cashflow gap with enough left over to buy a title winning squad.
Newco are trading at a substantial deficit, money raised from the sale of Patterson and departure of their management team will go some way towards this, but there is unlikely to be anything left over to build a squad with. They either sell at the top of the market and buy incredibly well, or downsize. Or, of course, just keep spending until an ‘event’ happens, like Oldco.
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FOURSTONECOPPI
Huns and fortune in the same post – thought they were skint 🤭
I gather Peter Grant reckons our manager made the right call in not bringing back Patrick Roberts. Personally, I would be delighted to see him in the Hoops again. Mind you, if we do sign Jota permanently, I guess he would be surplus to requirements…..
TLT,
Shall say a prayer for your mum’s recovery.
TLT
I hope your mother is being treated well at the hospital and that she gets the help to make as full a recovery as possible.
Disappointed to see the shocking tax avoidance of Rishi Sunak’s wife being treated as a factor in the Independence debate.
I would have thought the examples of tax exiles like Sean Connery, Irvine Welsh and Alan Cummings who were prominent YES campaigners might have given a second’s pause there.
Pcs
Patrick Roberts hasn’t exactly set the heather alight since he left us. Currently at League 1 Sunderland.
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 7TH APRIL 2022 11:27 AM
Re Patrick Roberts…
Seems to be that Ange is much a shrewd assessor of character and commitment as he is playing capability.
‘Don’t have the hunger to be here…fine – see ya!’ – is the way.
Likely he didn’t get that desire from not-so-young Paddy.
Patrick lives long in a lot of Celtic memories – but he’d not live long in an Ange formation IMO.
TLT – best wishes for your Ma’s health and wellbeing.
TLT
hope your mam is on the mend ASAP.
Toaty Trumper @ Last nigh / 10.52
You say the capitalist system is broke / broken — interesting.
If you are the Big Bang / City / Thatcherite bean counter that you claim to be then double interesting.
Care to expand your analysis?
Is this your Socialist Vanguard youth re-surfacing?
Reasoned argument would be useful.
Frontier gibberish less so.
The floor is yours …
TLT – Hope your Mum makes a full recovery.
Best wishes.
HH
Gerry
new article posted.
Lurki
Keep strong my friend,thinking of you at this time.
Let us know how things.wee prayer in support of you and yours.As St.Stivs says keep it lit mate.
HH