News that Hull City had a £6m bid for Robert Snodgrass accepted took the wind out of my sails this morning. Snodgrass was one of the outstanding performers for clubs in the bottom half of the English Premier League last season, so it’s easy to understand his ticket price, despite only having a year left on his Norwich City contract.
He is a Celtic fan and has not hidden his desire to play for the club, but Hull City (good grief) are now bidding £6m for players from relegated clubs, after spending £8m on a Spurs squad filler.
This all begs the question, can we afford to compete with Hull City? Probably, yes, but we can no more afford to splurge £14m on a couple of players than Hull, who a year ago were reporting debts close to £80m.
We’re operating in an environment where indirect competitors for players are spending unsustainable amounts of money, pretty much like Rangers did for 20 years under Sir David Murray. For a few years after Fergus left, we played the same game as Rangers, running up millions of pounds of losses year after year, before pulling away from the edge, while they kept the pedal to the metal and careered into liquidation.
The decision not to match the Bank of Scotland money flowing into Rangers cost us trophies, and caused a great deal of dispute in the Celtic family, but story ended sweetly. So, so, sweetly.
The crash may never hit England, but the job for Celtic is to find a way of remaining competitive in the Champions League while matching income to expenditure.
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his book, All the Best.
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Enjoying BOTOB !!!
Oh it’s not illegal here!
Margaret McGill @ 23:27
These things take time.
the glorious balance sheet
23:04 on 28 June, 2014
Interesting comments from Ronny Delia regarding retaining the same players who have done well in the past and how important this is in terms of Europe.
Well we haven`t retained Samaras who scored 13 goals in Europe for Celtic, and who was a specialist at scoring scarce away goals in places such as Moscow (twice), Barcelona, Tel Aviv and Helsinki. He was particularly important in scoring and creating goals at the CL qualification stage, scoring against the likes of Dynamo Moscow, HJK Helsinki, Cliftonville and Shakhter Karagandy at that stage of the competition.
Its still not clear what will happen with regard to Fraser Forster and Virgil van Dijk this summer. Its not entirely impossible that they will be sold during the CL qualification process as happened with Gary Hooper last season and Aiden McGeady in 2010.
Don`t forget in January we also lost Joe Ledley who had a lot of European experience with Celtic.
I think we are short on creators and takers of goals at the European level as it stands. Stokes has scored 1 goal in Europe, as has Watt, Griffiths is unproven in Europe. It seems to me that we are going to be heavily reliant on Kris Commons and – from set pieces – Charlie Mulgrew for goals in the CL qualifiers. If either of them get injured or have an off day we could be in trouble come the 3rd qualifying round or the play off round.
Excellent post
morrissey the 23rd
23:30 on 28 June, 2014
And it will never ever ever happen again at least until the next time
!!Bada Bing!!
the_huddle- didn’t know the Napster story mate, very successful in their own genre but doesn’t work for me
—————————
Napster and Morpheus invented music sharing, itunes and all the other services happened because of them. Metallica (especially that Lars prick) went all out to close them down.
Apart from Sandman they are shite :o)
winning captains-i take it PL is away scouting players for Ronny?
winning captains
Some excellent quotes from RD.
Look forward to Cairney’s Q & A.
Was Darnel Fisher at the event?
Soft spot for him as he was at Eldon Celtic in Reading where I used to live.
HH
winning captains- agreed mate.HH
!!bada bing!!
23:32 on 28 June, 2014
Only if they are EPL fodder :)
Delaneys Dunky –
Believe it or not I am an optimist – I bet on us to beat Barcelona 2-1 with big Vic first scorer at 200/1 in the Ladbrokes inside Celtic Park on the 7th November 2012!
Just worried that we let a proven scorer and creator of goals at CL qualification level – Samaras – go without being replaced. Fingers crossed we can get through though, its murder when the whole season hinges on these few qualification games right at the start of the season.
the_huddle –
I`m sure we`ll take care of KR Rejkavik. I`m more worried about the likes of Legia Warsaw, Partizan Belgrade, Maribor, Dinamo Zagreb who will lie in wait in the 3rd qualifying round. Agree about Karagandy being very very poor; ranked 270 odd in Europe and we will not play a team as poor as that at the play off stage this year.
Auldheid-
Last season Samaras was less productive in the actual group stages compared to 12-13 but not at the qualification stage where he again set up and scored crucial goals to see us into the group stages. For me, getting to the CL group stage is what is all important, once we`re there anything we get is a bonus especially when we`re up against the Barcelonas of this world.
As for Sammy`s performances in the group stages last season, he was playing alongside a poorer strike partner in Stokes/ Pukki compared to Hooper in 12-13 ( I accept Hooper wanted to go and so had to be sold).
Also in 12-13 we had the element of surprise whereas last season teams knew what to expect/ how to play us. Look at the Barcelona game at Celtic park where Samaras often had 3 Barca players around him. Nobody else stepped up to the plate to exploit the space that this created.
I think its more accurate to say that other teams found Celtic out rather than found Samaras out.
Margaret
Things need to change at the SFA.
Or there’s no point in going anymore the games rigged . Just hoping Celtic are working in the background to prove me wrong .
Rwe – yes he was as was Kris Commons, Stokes and johanson
Got some great pics for the Facebook page which I will post at some point.
Margaret McGill
22:51 on
28 June, 2014
Agree with your assessment.
Apart from the marijuana legalisation.Well and truly associated with psychiatric disorders.
METALLICA!!!!!
the glorious balance sheet
I`m sure we`ll take care of KR Rejkavik. I`m more worried about the likes of Legia Warsaw, Partizan Belgrade, Maribor, Dinamo Zagreb
———-
We pay more money than those teams so in my book we should beat them, if we don’t then either the coaching is at fault or the board is paying poor players inflated wages.
Sammi,is gone
He did whit he did .. n when he did… whit He did… wiz a Long time ago..
..it wiz Two Years ago.
Two Years is a Lifetime,in Soccer.
Time hiz passed, n .. Sammi’s C.L. Usefulness with it.
Sammi, wiz ove-ripe tae go..
He inconsistency wiz oan the ascendancy..
He widda only bin takin up a position in the Team .. He widda bin No Help in Europe.
We hid oor Warnin ,last Year, when Sammi, wiz Damn Awful in the C.L.
Peter n the Bhoys.. saw that Sammi’s Usefulness hid vanished like the Proverbial..
So..
They didnae offer him a Contract.
Ah am confident that oor Noo Manager wull Slap a Team together.. which wull get us thru the Prelims.
By the time the European League Propah, rolls aroon..
Ronny Dee wull hiv licked the Team that he Slapped-up..
intae a Crack oot-fit..
Ah predict that we wull Mak the Sweet Sixteen.. in the European League,this Year.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
‘People talk about morals.
We have no morals in football.’
Gordon Strachan.
margaret mcgill
23:27 on 28 June, 2014
Good question….
morrissey the 23rd
Not a good answer, I’m afraid…….. It’s like the silence from all parties is geared to keeping them afloat ….it really is disgusting….!!
Winning Captains-
Sounds like a great night.
Did our new manager join in with BOTOB?
67 heaven
Really beginning to think this myself .
It’s as if them being back in top league and everything will be forgotten .
If they come back and no change at SFA and back to old firm I’m done and will never be back.
Kojo:-
Scoring goals against Cliftonville and Karagandy to actually get us into the CL. The only Celtic player to score a goal away from home in the group stages last season. In my view that is far from “damn awful”. We would not have been in the CL but for Samaras “damn awful” performances in the qualifiers.
Samaras was our best forward in the Champions League last season. Far better than Stokes and Pukki who, in my view, can`t cut it in Europe. So there`s a lot riding on Leigh Griffiths shoulders this season, lets hope he can succeed where Stokes and Pukki haven
the glorious balance sheet
———-
How much do you think Sammi was paid a week?
Say £20k (probably more but I’m being generous)
So
Stokes £15k
LG £15k
Pukki £15k
Commons £15k
That’s a horrible amount of wages being spent on players that can’t get us past the CL qualifiers. We really need to start getting value for money. Time to cut the bloated squad, get 11 players pay them well and fill the rest with youth team players.
PIXIES! :))))
the_huddle- too true
Does anyone know if we are recalling the young fella who did so well at Notts County last year?
Also, Sammi is a no brained. Keep the guy here, it works for everyone.
No brainier. Sorry.
sixoclockatthechapel
23:50 on 28 June, 2014
Winning Captains-
Sounds like a great night.
Did our new manager join in with BOTOB?
Will be front page of the Sunday Mason tomorrow
Samaras and Commons were nowhere near fit in Amsterdam,
The only time I feel alright
Is when I’m into drinking
http://youtu.be/-WQCsys7v3A
Hail Hail
The Glorious Balance Sheet.
Pal.
So you Like Sammi.
well..
Ah never Did.. Ah thought that he wiz a Seven Minute Man..
n.. By the Time this Year hid Arrived..
Ah hid changed that appellation.. tae
a “Five Minute Man”..
Sammi wiz ..well.. “UNPLAYABLE”.. tae Quote oor Erstwhile Manager..
but..
Only during. That…”Seven Minute” n Latterly. that “Five Minute ” period..
of the Ninety.
Sammi, tugs at The Hear Strings of His Supporters.. But.. those Tugs… don’t mean a Darn thing..they go fur Nothing… When it comes tae Winning a game.
Ah am No a Sentimentalist.. It is The wey Ah am made..
Sammi, is a wonderful Human Bean.. He is a lovable Teddy bear..
Howevahhhhhhh…
Ah alwiz look at the Bottum Line..
N..
Let me tell you.. that Ah wiz Happy tae See the back of Sammi.. fur he
wiz only takin up a Position in the Team.. during his Last Year of Service.
IN MA OPINION.
Like Ah said..
Peter obviously thought the same as Ah dae .. That it wid be unwise tae retain a guy ,like Sammi, who wiz oan the Doon Hill.
So.. He ..Peter.. Didnae see fit tae Offer Sammi, that Noo Contract.
in Ma Opinion. that Un-offered.. well… Offer..
Tells You or anywan else..
Awe that ye Need tae know. aboot ..How the Celtic Administrators Felt aboot the worth of Sammi tae the Team.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
did samaras actually score in barcelona?
thats tonights quiz question
and its multiple choice
3 choices are
aye
naw
mibees
first right answer gets a gotchie
Surely Sammi is gone?
Unless of course the new manager fancies him and can still have a say?
Pixxxxxxxxxxxiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiesssssssssssssssssssss
Doug Stanhope – Drink To Have A Good Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgMdgs1jLiY&list=RDUgMdgs1jLiY&feature=share
the_huddle
I`m not sure how much we are paying players per week. I wonder if maybe wages should be more dependent on bonuses so players are more fairly rewarded for scoring goals and getting CL qualification rather than being paid £15k a week to stand behind the goals at the corner flag for 90 minutes talking to Amido Balde.
A big part of the problem is when we sign players who aren’t up to the job and who we can`t then move on.
We needed a proven SPFL goalscorer when Hooper left last summer. We could have signed Leigh Griffiths last summer. We didn`t and signed Pukki instead. It transpired that Pukki wasn`t a goalscorer and so we signed Griffiths in January. Theyre both picking up a wage.
Too many players have come in in the last couple of years and for whatever reason have not played enough to justify any kind of wage. Gershon, Pukki, Balde, Rogic, Brozek come to mind.
There’s so much money in football, obscene amounts, but even at our low level we must be spending a silly amount on players that do almost nothing for us.
Ah widdnae be in too much o’ a Hurry tae Gie Up oan.. Pukki..
In Ma Opinion.. He has Not Fully Settled..
N.. Settlin’..n.. being Comfortable, wi wan’s Surroundin’s .. tae a Fitba ‘ Player, is
Prime..
Pukki, is A Shy Guy.. n.. Shy Guys
need..well..
A wee bit o’ that “UNDERSTANDING ” Stufff that wan reads aboot in the Romantic Novels..
Yeah.. that’s it, then..
Pukki, needs a wee bit Understandin’..
He wull Come good..
You’ ll See..
Kojo
Still,Laughin
67 Heaven
Celtic have less locus on what is being allowed at TRFC than all the clubs in the same division.
I’ve made this point on tsfm as has Barcabhoy but if the clubs who might lose on promotion because TRFC are being allowed to compete with money the do not have then there is not much Celtic can do about that.
That TRFC are still going is a mystery. It’s not that Phil ‘ s predictions are off the mark. Rangers expenditure and KNOWN income is a matter of record.
There was what was termed a “Chuck Young nod” on tsfm that they were being kept from administration by folk who could not countenance another administration.
Other clubs should be asking questions about the fairness of them trying to live within their football earnings and TRFC needing backhanders to climb the divisions.
It is very frustrating that clubs, like an abused partner, go back to the same situation rather than break free and live differently.
Celtic have a particular interest in the SFA’s handling of the UEFA licence monitoring at 30th June under Article 66 and Annex VIII of UEFA FFP. That requires legal skills to navigate but I am hopeful that by end of July we will either be satisfied that SFA and Rangers behaved as the rules required and that can be explained to shareholders in a way that is reasonable (no Bryson ‘ s Law) or that both SFA and Rangers flaunted FFP principles to stay alive.
The evidence suggests the latter but the SFA are past masters at finding an interpretation that suits them so we have to wait to hear their explanation.
Finally on the LNS Commission we know for a fact it’s findings are factually inaccurate because key information on two unlawful payments were made.
This covering up the evidence of the crime and the crime itself are worthy of removing the 2003 title in which De Boer a recipient played a part.
Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Celtic, Hamilton and Stenhousemuir who are SPFL Board members all have the evidence but there has been no response to the letter to SPFL Lawyers to ask SPFL to consider setting LNS aside.