There was a standing joke on here for years. On day one of the transfer window someone would write, “The transfer window’s been open 13 hours and still no news, get your finger out Celtic”. It mirrored the less jovial comments when the transfer window had 13 hours left, although “get your finger out Celtic” occasionally still featured.
It’s not just Celtic, transfer business is a deadline activity. Why sell your prime asset early when you know desperate clubs will pay over the odds to appease the manager who is demanding sufficient resources to meet target?
You need to work an angle to pick up prime cuts this early in the window. We picked up Virgil van Dijk for a paltry £2.6m in June 2013, which is remarkable, considering he is an outstanding player who was working in one of Europe’s heavily scouted leagues.
We got in early with van Dijk, who had been released by Willem II without playing a game before making 62 appearances with Groningen. A false start followed by a period with just enough form to tempt Celtic’s scouts, but not so much as to alert the slower footed.
So what do we know about Dedryck Boyata? He’s 24, three years older than Virgil when he joined, but has played around half the number of first team games Virgil had experienced. Dedryck was vacuumed up by City as a 16-year-old, part of the annual harvest major clubs make each year. He clearly had something about him to convince City to retain him, but first team outings were rare. When Celtic came shopping a year ago, City were prepared to live without Jason Denayer for a season, but not Dedryck, who went into their first team squad.
It’s correct to say that knowledge of Dedryck is scarce, even among City fans, but Ronny has spent time on City’s training fields with him, and had him watched extensively in non-first team outings over the last year.
Is he the answer to our defensive prayers? Time will tell, but the recruitment strategy which brought him here is coherent. All our scouts and management team have watched him to the extent that a consensus has been reached. His profile is not high enough to commend a fee which is out with our budget, and most importantly, we can bring him in now, making sure he’s embedded before the potentially lucrative Petrofac Cup Champions League qualifiers.
Welcome to Celtic, Dedryck.
Still laughing, in case you were in any doubt.
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Yes.
HH and Good Morning CQN!!
TC45
Nice wan Paul….the ole Petrofek cup,always good for a laugh.
7th
chairbhoy
09:58 on 3 June, 2015
Makes one wonder why the investigations carried out so far into Ipoxgate have been so hush, hush …. a lot of the corruption has been uncovered, but looks as though it has then been covered up before it got out to the public domain……?
olivia and philbhoy
09:36
Hope everything goes well in the coming weeks & months
Take care & Hail Hail
Oh ffs, first team? or benched
TheLurkinTim
11:08 on 3 June, 2015
If you’re a morally upstanding citizen then you won’t lie under oath but you can obfuscate ;-))
FIFAFTSFALNSCSC
H.H.
Petrofac Cup Champions League qualifiers…….brilliant, Paul67……!!!!
I think Ronny has earned the right to the benifit of the doubt when we look at Stefan.
‘van Dijk, who had been released by Willem II without playing a game’
Another tear- filled setback for another King Billy!
HH jamesgang
Chairbhoy
10:51 on 3 June, 2015
__________________
Thanks for the response fella – Hail Hail
The gist…..we should just – fall into line or, sit at the back of the bus with our muzzles on?
With respect…..nahhhh.
Disny work for me.
Why pay what, a CEO £1million in bonuses…near enough the same in salary when, he’s incapable of making/taking an executive decision?
This goes back to when, Celtic fans thought that we had been re-born under Fergus.
Disillusionment….is the watch-word.
Fergus knew within weeks of taking over that, the ‘fix’ was in when, the SFA made him pay a kings ransom to hire Hampdump for a year?
Why did Fergus not tell the Celtic fans that…we’re being screwed over here and, we wont be giving almost a £million to an, anti-Celtic football association instead…we’re going to FIFA to request a year of absence from the game to allow us to re-build CP and, explain what is going on at the SFA?
Why, did Fergus wait until his going away money was in the bank….before taking out Farry?
Is this the reason why, Brian Dempsey and, Eddie Keane who had placed £6 million in the Bank Of Ireland to be forwarded to Celtic FC…renaged on their input as, Fergus wasn’t up for the fight?
Or, did BD and, EK withold their input coz…they didn’t agree with the choice of the manager that Fergus had lined up?
You see,….imho…..Wim Jansen and, Martin O’Neill apart….Celtic FC have been a ‘house of cards’ since the Kelly’s & White’s were ousted….the fans put all the money in then…remain outside….placing their faith in a bunch of custodians who need the stadium to be, half-empty before they’ll comment on the criminalising of Celtic supporters….the same, Celtic supporters who the custodians, joined in with the SMSM and blamed these supporters for ‘mythical’ events?
Ma heids sore already…..you take care.
…..oot.YNWA.
Hi Paul67,
It’s not just Celtic, transfer business is a deadline activity. Why sell your prime asset early when you know desperate clubs will pay over the odds to appease the manager who is demanding sufficient resources to meet target?
That’s very true, but when you say it’s not just Celtic, you have to bear in mind that most Big successful Clubs play their most important matches at the end of the Season. We play ours before the Season kicks off.
It’s been a perennial problem that we have found difficult to manage. Especially in the Seasons new head coaches are appointed.
It seems to me that RD seems to be redefining priorities and PL is backing him.
Hopefully DB is the first of a different strategy – UCL qualification is paramount.
Hail Hail
In the brilliant Simpsons…..wats the first name of the Mike Tyson parody ;-))
H.H.
jamesgang
11:16 on 3 June, 2015
‘van Dijk, who had been released by Willem II without playing a game’
Another tear- filled setback for another King Billy!
HH jamesgang
——————————————————————————
thank god my tea was on the table lol ;-))
TallHansome&FunnyItsnofairCSC
H.H.
Yup, still laughing too…
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=10x9hlh&s=8#.VW7VC0Y2ncv
Paul, I’m sure that the Petrofac is to the lower league 3yr old club what the Champions League is to Celtic ;)
HH
Would hav sed *Handsome but going for a hat-trick ;-)
H.H.
Paul gets in early with an article about getting in early. Genius.
And I’ll bet some of you think this blog is just thrown together. :))
HH
kevjungle
11:17 on 3 June, 2015
I’ve now come to the conclusion, after careful consideration, that you are not, in fact, an eejit ……….you’re an erse, bereft of any credibility, I’m afraid….
It’s no laughing matter, Paul. We still haven’t won this Petrofac Cup. Simply not good enough!
67Heaven
_________
You just responded to me…does that mean what I think it does?
That yer no in the kleek?
KevJungle
11:17 on 3 June, 2015
=========================
Eh?
Eh?
Eh?
Whit!?
Congrats on attaining a new level of surreal revisionist insanity.
hahaha loved the petrofec joke.keep em coming.
P67
Like it!
Think we are all still laughing.
Hope and pray that Kojo is too.
Sandman
________
Eh….?
Too many big words….?
I didn’t have a telly in the house when I was a child but occasionally had access to one either at an Aunt’s or child minder’s.
I nwas therefore an avid telly watcher when I got the chance and would look forward with glee to the next episode of programmes like Happy Days or The Banana Bunch – even at one stage
Too many Sepp Blatters closer to home….
….oot.YNWA.
Philbhoy
Olivia and all your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
God bless.
A matter of interest, are we any closer to automatic entry to Champions League? HH
Kevj,
Dearie me…..you’re still ranting…..I guess an arm away from a treble, a vastly improved team and it seems getting the business done early in the transfer market is not enough for you…..what would make you smile? The implosion that is Sevco ;-)) Lighten up….failing that, spark up
H.H.
KevJungle
11:17 on 3 June, 2015
we’re going to FIFA to request a year of absence from the game to allow us to re-build CP and, explain what is going on at the SFA?
=============================================
Dear FIFA,
Can wee Cellick be excused from fitba’ for a year ‘cos there’s nae hoose tae play in and they bams at the SFA want cash fur tae play oot their hoose.
yours,
Celllick’s Mammy.
Basil Brush – (What happened there?!!)
Anyway I was just going to say, I find myself looking forward expectantly to the next episode of “The Journey” for entertainment.
Delaneys Dunky
11:33 on 3 June, 2015
Philbhoy
Olivia and all your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
God bless.
=============================================
Wondered what that was about. Read back.
Missed the crisis in Philboy’s life amid all the jollity.
Nothing worse in this world than the wee ones being ill – very best of luck to her, Philboy; here’s to a full recovery asap.
Nobody’s mentioned Willo Flood yet.
Thank feck!
HH!!
Afternoon Timland from a hot hun free mountain valley.
KevJ
While I understand your frustration with the suits, I have the self same frustrations, but, it’s no just Celtic that were cheated, agreed we were robbed of many millions, but pro rata, so were a few other clubs, and yet they along with our suits say feck all.
They are all to blame, every single one of them.
I have said it time and time again, sort the cheating on the pitch, and the rest will take care of itself.
And am oot, things to do,
HH
Alasdair
hope that isnae on sky atlantic,
Philbhoy
Thinking of you and your family…….
I expect the GB version of the Man City Boyata song to be hilarious:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAvChkfpY4A