Club partnerships will be the next big story in football

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I watched a few cup games on TV over the weekend, including the Exeter City-Liverpool and Hearts-Aberdeen games. There was a huge juxtaposition between the two Liverpool goalkeepers on show, Adam Bogdan (28), who had a nightmare for Liverpool against Exeter, and loan-ee Danny Ward (22), who was Aberdeen’s top performer against Hearts.

Within a day Jurgen Klopp recalled Ward from Aberdeen, who I’m sure will now become first deputy at Anfield. Six months ago Ward was not part of first team plans at Liverpool, who wanted Bogdan to be deputy to Mignolet. Ward took his chance, played in Europe and became a fans’ favourite at Aberdeen.

Without this loan, I’m sure Ward’s profile at Liverpool would be well below its current level. This is a great example of why you put players out on loan. Players sitting in the stands, or playing youth or reserve football, will find it very difficult to progress.

The other aspect of Danny Ward’s Aberdeen experience is that he was hooked back home after a live TV game. With the sheer number of players out on loan, I often wonder how much scrutiny of their progress parent clubs are able to deploy. Especially if it’s Celtic sending a player to Norway. It’s hard to escape the conclusion that Ward’s performance being on TV at the critical moment when Liverpool were pondering their reserve keeper position had a bearing on his career development.

For some clubs, appropriate scrutiny of players out on loan will be practically impossible (Chelsea list 30 players on loan at the moment).

If we extrapolate the way large clubs harvest players, there’s a good possibility loan players will make up the bulk of transfer activity across football going forward. Teams like Aberdeen should be using their Danny Ward experience to demonstrate what a good place they are for English Premier League teams to send players. I know a couple of years back there was some apprehension that one Scottish club were making inroads into Newcastle United’s misfits, but some cunning campaigning put paid to that.

All clubs need to learn how to feed off the squads of others, while managing the development of their own talent, not yet ready for a place in the first team.  Those who do this well will flourish.  Club partnerships will be the next big story in football, they will change the balance of power.  At the moment there is little discernible pattern to how and where clubs loan players.  This will change as clubs try to replicate the experiences of Danny Ward and Jason Denayer.  Partnering with others, both up and down the food-chain, looks like the biggest efficiency gain in the game today.

Delighted at the genuine anticipation ahead of our next Scottish Cup game, which will be against either East Kilbride or Lothian Thistle. It’s a great story for grassroots football, no matter if it’s played in the Lothians or Lanarkshire.

Anyone surprised that lot were hauled into court this week by someone else looking to be paid? What a way to run your business. We know how the story will end.

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  1. Just seen Jeremy Hunt on the news commenting on the junior doctors strike. If there was ever a fantastic opportunity to call this phanny by a cockney rhyme, there will never be another. Suit yourselves. HH

  2. TET

     

     

    From same website(link attached above)

     

     

     

    This Court of Session listing is an action against Rangers in regard to Companies Act irregularities/transgressions.

  3. SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 12TH JANUARY 2016 10:29 PM

     

    CT

     

     

    “The SNP are, by far, the most responsive – Don’t Think Yes Minister, towards their immediate employees. ”

     

     

    That is your experience but not mine. I witnessed Nicola Sturgeon turn a meeting of parents of children with Autism into a Party Political Broadcast and I had not seen anything like that when Previous Scottish Government spokespersons had addressed such conferences.

     

     

    If what you say is true, why is there a blind spot all round that leads to the OBaF Act and the Morrow Report? Who exactly are they listening to there?

     

    ——————

     

     

    SFTB,

     

     

    I was talking about years before the OBaF Act, many years.

     

     

    If we ever meet I could example Tory, Labour, Tory, Labour, SNP admin at Holyrood.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  4. Butsybhoy: I was looking out for you too. I’m available for pre or post match drinks on the 23rd:-)

  5. BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 12TH JANUARY 2016 10:22 PM

     

     

    Natknow

     

     

    Do you continually feel let down in Scottish football?

     

     

    Yes?

     

     

    You’re, right regarding corporate etc, etc.

     

     

    Celtic with a wholly corporate identity remain a defeated entity in this country, it’s in the mission statement and the banners they ‘bizarrely show on the stadium today’ prove that, they live a lie.

     

     

    I’m not wealthy enough to just ‘give it to Celtic’ and sit back, believe me I would, but I can’t, looks like I’m gone soon.

     

     

    It’s beyond it, and Bllionaires need to be told, especially since they are clueless, in the Fenian bastard stakes.

     

     

    HH

     

    ————————————————-

     

     

    What can I say? …”It’s complicated”

     

     

    Football is caught on the horns of a dilemma. On one hand, operations needs to be run on some kind of commercial basis in order to provide funding. On the other, for us fans/supporters, this is a deeply embedded cultural affiliation akin to (and in many cases, replacing) religion . This is particularly so for Celtic. We are a relatively small community within a greater and usually hostile environment/population. It’s a core part of our identity.

     

     

    However to Celtic PLC, at best we are customers. And f you look at what we’re charged and the facilities, product on-pitch and the manner in which we a re treated, we’re not even well-regarded customers. All in all, it’s a poor-value proposition that trades on our emotional ties with our cultural background.

     

     

    Despite what I read on here from various posters about chucking it unless Celtic PLC meet their various demands, I actually think they are in the minority. When Sevco are in the same league next season, I expect attendances and sales to increase. People seems to want it.

     

     

    Do I feel let down by Scottish football? Undoubtedly. It’s a broken business model with no integrity – because integrity is no longer important for businesses.

     

     

    Genuinely ambivalent at the moment.

  6. BT

     

     

    I was behind the goals also the right of the keeper got a Wee bit mad ended up in a bowling club just after half time good day though

  7. “You can’t afford to Live without Christ as your King.”

     

     

    The Amazing thing, Jesus always pointed towards his Father.

  8. The Green Man

     

    Regarding your comment about Che and his portriat at Celtic Park.

     

    He is one of the symbols in pop culture in the West but in the region of East and Central Europe he is one of the symbols of Communism. You like it or not, Communism is responsible for millions deaths and for suffering of many more. One of the wrong opinions about Celtic is that this is Catholic club. The other opinion that I met about Celtic in this region is that Celtic is the club assosiated with the leftiests. Che symbols make that opinion valid for some.

     

    When it comes to the politics, I would like my club(s) to be found in no connections, assitiations. Absolutely zero that at all.

  9. West End of East End on

    I’ve just watched the Petitions video and KMcA came over as a total arse. I wrote to my local SNP MSP about the act, he came to the house to speak to me about it. He didn’t come right out and say it but what I took from the conversation was that they now realise it is poor legislation and want to bin but don’t want to lose face, so it will be reviewed and quietly dropped if at all possible.

     

     

    In fairness to him, he wrote to Paul Wheelhouse (sic) and sent me the response which was at the time Stirling uni were undertaking the review, but watching the video tonight it seems like the review was a farce.

     

     

    He’ll be back looking for votes nearer the election but after watching the video I’m going to write to him again to remind him that his is still an active petition….

  10. Clyde bank

     

     

    Would one of you bhoys discussing Clydebank please tell me if “Budgie” has the surname, “McGhee”?

     

     

    Thanks.

  11. Have now watched the petition,

     

    Brilliant effort from both petitioners

     

    No words for that convicted football Supporting MSP, didn’t hear him asking about his conviction

  12. Can I say I’m still awaiting a response from my SNP MSP

     

    In saying that

     

    Still awaiting a response from John Paul Taylor on my question towards the Celtic boards view on what John Collins gphad to say

  13. Thanks for the link to the FAC petition to review the Act. Quality of the evidence submitted and the way in which it was submitted…exceptional. If there was any justice this iniquitious piece of legislation would be reviewed but if there was any justice the legislation wouldn’t have been passed in the first place.

     

    Also have to say I thought that the only place in the world were politicians of the calibre of Kenny MC Askill could be elected was here in the occupied six. Wouldn’t be out of place in the DUP. A bumbling incompetent of the highest order. His point about the Catholic PSNI officer Ronan Kerr defied belief. Ronan Kerr was not killed because he was a Catholic but because he was a member of the PSNI. It seemed like a cheap point to make to advance at what was at best a spurious argument. The clown had obviously lost the run of himself.I certainly have never heard any songs in support of his killers being sung at any of the matches that I have attended.

     

    The Chair of the Committee didn’t miss and hit the wall with regard to his closing comments on Whitehouse.

     

    Anyway HH and for anybody who hasn’t seen it, it is well worth viewing it in full.

  14. Yogi

     

     

    Billy ‘Budgie’ McGhie fae Knightswood. Clydebank manager. My childhood friend.

  15. Butsybhoy,

     

     

    Thanks. The same man was very popular at Arthurlie during his stay and a fine player anytime I saw him.

  16. Oíche mhaith a chairde. I’m off up the wooden hill. Hope to get a chance to post about Stranraer tomorrow.

  17. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    A huge thank you to Jeanette Findlay and Paul Quigley for putting FAC’s case over so well today.

     

     

    I doubt there will any mention of it in the media but if they do, they will spin FAC in a negative manner particiularly Jeanette , due to her role in the Celtic Trust.

  18. Irony.

     

     

    Kenny MacAskill once proposed the erecting of a statue to James Connolly in Edinburgh.

     

     

    His performance today was one of ignorance, stupidity and downright arrogance.

     

     

    I could have written his script for today and made a fairly convincing argument in defence of the Act.

     

     

    He very foolishly couldn’t even get that right.

  19. Emus

     

     

    I had forgot it was sung on Sunday. I agree, another cringe along with Brits Out.

     

    HH

  20. Emus

     

     

    I was a Stair Park virgin too.

     

    Loved my trip to Stranraer in magic CQN company.

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