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Celtic point to prove, burying bad news

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Neil Lennon took his players to the vast open spaces of the Camp Nou last year, took the lead and held onto a point until the fourth minute of added time.  It was an enormous and disciplined achievement.  I feared we would suffer a backlash when Barcelona visited Glasgow.

What we experienced instead was more of the same.  Barca played some of the most mesmerising football we have ever seen, but it took them until the 92nd minute until they managed to beat Fraser Forster, this time, too little, too late.

Barca have the best Plan A in football but they were unable to effectively change when making no progress and unable to cope with Celtic from set pieces, while their own concentration was called into question.

While our visitors will be keen to make up for their disappointing result in Glasgow last season, Celtic have their own disappointing result to avenge.  The heroic tales from Milan last month count for nothing.  Celtic need to show they have the necessary edge.

We are the team with something to prove.  We are the only team who can leave Celtic Park tonight with any material achievement; a win would do nothing for Barca, whose place in history is already acknowledged.  The only prize in the game worth having – professional honour – is only available to Celtic.

Tonight we have a rare opportunity.  Take it, Celtic.

A good day to bury bad news

Rangers International FC PLC accounts, released this morning, curiously report “First team wages/turnover ratio at 43% while total staff costs are £17.9m, or 94% of turnover.  I’m not convinced this is evidence of a vast and unnecessary filtering of cash out of the club.  While the board and management will take a slice of the extra wages this total figure is not unusual, or unexpected.  It takes several hundred people to run a football club with an average attendance at 39k.  There is not a whole lot they will be able to do about this figure.

DM Hall, who produced fabulous property valuations for Ibrox and Murray Park when Sir David Murray was in charge, are back, this time valuing the assets at £65.2m and £14m respectively.  This is vastly more than was paid for them last year but still a fraction of what DM Hall valued the properties at in 2005.  The combined existing use valuation recognised in the accounts is £42.5m – a tidy sum, if achieved by sale and leaseback.

The club has operating costs of £33.6m while income is £19.1m.  They are clearly spending more than necessary.  When looking to cut costs there will be some low lying fruit (or Greggs pies) but cutting into the player budget, or back office staff costs will be difficult, while cuts to policing, rates and utility costs are unlikely.

Cash at 30 June 2013 was £11.198m, so, before cost cutting and after exceptional costs are removed, they are looking for circa £18m cash to fund operations until 30 June next year.  There are several established ways to achieve this, including ticket securitisation, used by both previous owners of Ibrox.

A significant uplift in season ticket prices is also likely to be necessary.  Charles Green set initial ticket prices low.  An appeal could surely have been made to fans to step forward and offer support at a higher price, but Green was under pressure from Paul Murray’s various attempts to win control-while securing fan support for his Blue Knights group.

If Murray hadn’t run his ultimately-doomed campaign, Green’s need to over-promise and under-price, in order to sell any tickets, would have been different.  As would the operating deficit reported today.
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  1. Malorbhoy on

    Hello from Lounge no 1 sitting on the back wall next to the paper stall come and say hello

  5. Big Nan on

    bournesouprecipe

     

     

    18:28 on 1 October, 2013

     

     

    Gallowagate Alert………………Polis are hurting

     

    ………………………………………………………..

     

    They certainly are. My son got a £40 spot fine for drinking a bottle of Bud or at least carrying an open one to his lift after the match.

     

     

    Plain clothes police officers out in force to punish Celtic fans.

     

     

    Where were they on Saturday at Ibrox?

     

     

    Where were they when STV were filming Barca fans with their pints on the pavement at Merchant City?

     

     

    They must have cleared up all the violence, drug pushing, people trafficking, etc in Glasgow I take it?

  8. Neustadt-Braw on

    CELTIC (4-4-1-1) Forster; Lustig, Ambrose, Van Dijk, Izaguirre; Matthews, Brown, Mulgrew, Samaras; Commons; Stokes

     

    Subs: Zaluska, Biton, Balde, Rogic, Pukki, Kayal, Forrest

     

     

     

    Braw!

  9. jimmybhoycampbell on

    Celtic team to play Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League:

     

     

    CELTIC (4-4-1-1) Forster; Lustig, Ambrose, Van Dijk, Izaguirre; Matthews, Brown, Mulgrew, Samaras; Commons; Stokes

     

    Subs: Zaluska, Biton, Balde, Rogic, Pukki, Kayal, Forrest

  10. Delaneys Dunky on

    Summa

     

     

    Good morning.

     

    Sammi first scorer 16/1

     

    Liquid breakfast?

     

    COYBIG.

     

    THIS IS PARADISE.

  12. jackie mac on

    Tallybhoy – Hendrick’s is gorgeous – I’ve got aldi lager – das helle suffig vollmundig ? From Stuttgart not bad

  14. Kojo on

    Canny Complain .. Too Much.. Re .. Neil’s Team Selection of the Day

     

     

    But..

     

     

    Ah Still Wull Complain.. a Wee Bit.

     

     

    He Picked awe o’ Ma Players , with Wan Exception..

     

     

    And it wiz.. Ma Pick Fur the Lonely Linwood Striker..

     

     

    Mr. Amido Balde!

     

     

    Yes.. Amido the Magnifent is Ready , is Noo…ready…Willing and Able tae Tak oan the Shaky n Quakey..

     

    Barca Defense..

     

     

    Howevaaaaaaaaaaaan..

     

     

    Mr. Neil, decided that Stokesy, wiz a Bettah Alternative tae the Player, whom Ah endorsed.

     

     

    Huh!

     

     

    Neil, Ye still are content tae keep oan Making they Mistakes.

     

     

    Stokesy is a Braw

     

     

    Old Fashioned Inside Left.. But

     

     

    He is No Lonely Linwood Striker.. Up Front and Center AND Awa Alain oan his Ain.

     

     

    Kojo

     

    Still Laughin’

  16. ABZMike on

    Looks like a nice settled line up to me.

     

     

    Now, if only delivery from set pieces is a little better than in Milan we could be in great shape.

  21. Delaneys Dunky on

    Kojo

     

     

    Amido late in 2nd half to come on and grab the glory, like young Tony did 11 months ago. I pray.

  22. fieldofdrams on

    Delaneys Dunkie, Jackie Mac and everyone else getting their celebratory libations ready – today I received from those wonderful people at Fyne Ales, a sample bottle of their Halloween celebratory ale, created in memory of the undead, those creatures who walk the earth destined, or rather cursed, never to be at peace.

     

     

    It’s called Zombier.

     

     

    And damn me, it’s delicious. Try it with jelly and ice cream.

  24. Banjocelt on

    I’m sick with nerves. Or maybe still repercussions of the weekend in Bundoran!

     

     

    Good luck to the Bhoys tonight. It’s so much tougher watching these games on tv rather than in person.

  25. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    In a bit of a quandary .

     

     

    Don’t know whether to watch the Referendum Debate on RTE, or the Game on TV3.

  26. puffnstuff on

    Starry. I posted it at 18.30. If you dont need it tonight you can always watch tv from home whenever you like.

  27. Kojo on

    PuffnStuff

     

    at 18.33

     

    Great Nomme de Blog,kid..

     

     

    Howevahh………..

     

     

    Afore Ah come doon oan ye..like the Proverbial.

     

     

    Ah Tak it that ye ur A Newbie?

     

     

    Well..

     

     

    It is Verboten .. severely, Verboten

     

     

    fur anywan tae Gie oot Any Sites where the Celtic Game kin be Viewed

     

     

    Fur Free… oan the T.V.

     

     

    and should ye dae tae dae that… Which Ah see .. Ye hiv Already Done..

     

     

    Let me bring this tae Ye attention..

     

     

    It be..

     

     

    Very Verboten.. tae dae such a Thing oan this Hallowed spot oan the Blogosphere.

     

     

    Fur..

     

     

    Ye wull get oor esteemed and Maist Respected…Leader..

     

     

    Sir Paul..intae Trouble.

     

     

    Dinna Da it,any mair.

     

     

    Kojo

     

     

    Still,Laughin

  30. Kojo on

    Delaneys Dunky

     

    at 18.53

     

     

    Hiya,Palomine?

     

     

    Great tae Greet Ye..

     

     

    By Jings.. That’s A Great Idea!

     

     

    Ah wish Ah hid thought o It!

     

     

    Nice Thinking..

     

     

    Kojo

     

    Still Laughin

  31. Istanbulcelt Oscar's Green & White Army on

    Paddy’s bar Hiseranu Turkey has the football. Anyone in the area welcome to join me. Got a pass from the wife. 2nd day of the holiday and 40 quid taxi fares wouldn’t miss it for the world……. Can’t wait!

  32. An Dun on

    Good team for us, no real surprises. Izzi a worry as always. Stokes, Sammi and Commons need to cover every blade of grass. Hopeful but wary.

  33. fan-a-tic on

    Don’t think Mulgrew should be in the starting line up.

     

    He gives the ball away constantly in Europe as he lacks speed and thought at this level.

     

    This is a big no no against a team like Barca who thrive on possession.

     

    Also worried at Stokes leading the line as he’s caught offside to often and drifts left leaving us no focal point in attack.

  34. desertbhoy on

    Coverage started now… never been so good.. Worldwide exposure of the bhoys and the display!

     

     

    COYBIG!!

     

     

    HH

  35. iki on

    Istanbulcelt Oscar’s Green & White Army

     

    19:02 on

     

    1 October, 2013

     

    Paddy’s bar Hiseranu Turkey has the football. Anyone in the area welcome to join me.

     

    ============

     

    Power cuts in around Fethiye. Fingers crossed for you ……. and me, down the hill in Fethiye.

  36. Kojo on

    My Dear,dear,dear,friend .. The Singing Detective

     

     

    Pal..Don’t Remind Me!

     

     

    But, this Wan is a Different Case.

     

     

    Amido, is Not quite ready tae be Revealed. wi due Pomp and Ceremony..

     

     

    as the New Addition tae Kojo’s Coterie of Fair Hair Bhoys..

     

     

    But.. He is Getting There..

     

     

    Ah like the Lad.. mebbe because

     

     

    He Strikes me..

     

     

    As a Like-ly Lad!

     

     

    Right?

     

     

    Kojo

     

    Stiill, Laughin..even mair. since Ah hiv a Keek at the G.A’s Financial Report.

  37. Neustadt-Braw on

    I can taste this …..it,s going to be a Braw Braw night ….catch ye all later for the blah blah blah …COYBIG ….

  38. desertbhoy on

    Andy gray… Barca had 86% possession celtic had 16% and won 2-1…. Another master class in Hun accounting!

  41. eddieinkirkmichael on

    Can confirm story re on the spot fines, one guy said it’s 2 plain clothes guys and within 30 secs had backup arrive in van incase he refused to except penalty

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