When Dedryck Boyata leaves in the summer there will be a wide variance of views on the player’s time at Celtic, his performances against Newco in particular have not always been up to standard. His nervous display at Hampden three years ago contributed to a poor Scottish Cup performance, but few have achieved as significant a performance improvement as Dedryck.
Whatever the personal issues which kept him out of the Belgium squad last week, it is great news that he is back at Lennoxtown and ready for action.
Kieran Tierney’s continued absence from training is more of a concern, although I’m sure Neil Lennon will not repeat the same mistake as Brendan Rodgers at Ibrox, and move Callum McGregor out of his midfield berth to fill in for Kieran at left back. Jonny Hayes did well against Dundee and would get the nod, if necessary.
While results have been impeccable since the turn of the year, December’s Ibrox performance was a wakeup call. Having control of central mid will make all the difference. That will require Callum McGregor and at least one other with similar ability to move the ball quickly.
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Bingo
Great to see all the players oming back from injury for the run in.
coming
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Following the initial ticket sale, all remaining tickets are now on sale to those Season Ticket holders on the Home Cup Ticket Scheme who paid by Direct Debit for both home matches against Airdrie (January 19) and St Johnstone (February 10) but were unsuccessful in the original sale of tickets.
Those Season Ticket holders who were offered a ticket in the first ballot but who did not purchase before the deadline are no longer eligible to purchase tickets for the match.
The deadline for those who meet the qualifying criteria to purchase their ticket is 5pm on Friday, March 29.
http://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/oliver-burke-the-marmite-man/
Baby elephant or balletic barnstormer? Oliver Burke by numbers.
“Having control of central mid will make all the difference. That will require Callum McGregor and at least one other with similar ability to move the ball quickly.”
Uncommon common sense
I wouldn’t hesitate to put Johnny Hayes in at LB . Against Dundee , both attacking and defending , I would say he outperformed Toljan on the other flank. Get Callum back to where he can do most damage , and hopefully Ntcham and/or Rogic will be fit enough for at least part of the game. Sevco will be facing a different Celtic from the pale shadow they faced in December.
But will the hun be facing the baby elephant?
MM
I’ve been reading your suggestions these past few days, and although I haven’t commented on them, fair play to you for the thoughts.
My own thoughts haven’t really moved on since the cash trend became apparent two years ago. Without wanting to bore you with reheated kale, we’re caught in a bind where the operating model turns on European participation.
We set a budget in line with European expectations – probably approximating 50% UCL, 50% EL – over period, with big trading surpluses in UCL years, balancing losses in EL years. Under BR we were ahead of expectation, and therefore more profitable than expected.
In parallel, the strategy on player trading has proven to be enduringly successful, delivering gains in excess of £10M each year for 6 or more years. We seem reluctant though to budget for these gains such that they are factored into the operating model.
In short; We have a Europa League budget and a Champions League ambition. This keeps the numbers sweet. The risk in running a Champions League budget and find we have Europa League performance is not one the executive is prepared to take. Given that binary, our income remains too precarious.
As a consequence of recent European performances and the gains on player sales (and management compensation…), the trend in liquidity in recent years is clear and obvious.
The major point of contention is what on earth to do with all the cash?
Given the board’s reluctance to increase the operating budget, my sense is that much of it will be applied to capital projects. That includes increased transfer fees paid – expanding the ‘moneyball’ activities – but also a number of projects similar to those you have suggested. We’ll invest in those capital projects that stand up, and we can see a number of those are already completed.
However, I don’t think there is yet a formal plan. We still don’t quite know what to do with all the dough.
Right….i’m away for a walk, trot, canter and gallop with my newest best friend…
Neigh bother…
quick question.
roughly how much does it cost per month for tv plus football package back home.
THE BATTERED BUNNET it seems we have anything between 45 and 55 million in the bank. We have plans for a hotel, museum, cafe ans superstore. Would love to see that plans progress. Would also love an indoor fanzone to complament the kerrydale suite and hotel bar and cafe, and more and improved parking.
A lots could be done to transform celtic park and it would pay in terms of improved facilities and improved income for the club.
22 million would transform celtic park envios and there is no reason why we should not see it. In fact if you stand still you go bank, simples.
Remove all free transform, loanees and spend 10 million on 2 maybe 3 players sales and we are good to go again.
HH
Advice for Sunday,
looking for a safe pub to watch the game on Sunday, roundabout the city centre area. traveling up from England no ticket but happy to watch in a bar where i don’t have to get a ticket for entry as only coming up on Saturday.
grateful for any tips.
HH
Bbhoy
Got through on phone and purchased my bhoys ticket
(means i get to go as he was taking mine)
With Regards to the Club spending, I feel we should factor in the Windfall nature of some of income
1. BR compensation -Around £9m
2. Virgil van Dyke – Cut of an unexpected large sell on fee around £7m
In addition, the summer transfer window and the sale of Dembele producing a surplus was an unexpected event
Celtic follow a 5 year plan with a budget and the income is always spent. This unexpected income is therefore not in the Budget. It will be spent as they have never paid a dividend on Ordinary Shares and have said we will not do so. This is not stockpiling this is consideration of the options for expenditure.
The Club have proposals for an on site Hotel and Museum, they have proposals for Developments at Barrowfield and at Lennoxtown. There is also a Transfer window fast approaching and it needs funded
I’m keen to see if Huns risk Ryan Kent as he could cause us bother on RHS. However, will Seethie risk it ?.
SFtB’s @ 9:03 AM,
Well, let’s start by clarifying a few things…
Firstly the China Crisis story, I did ask you to comment on what’d you’d heard and that I’d understand if you felt you couldn’t – that remains my view. Perhaps you could time frame it though, by letting us know when you believe it happened and when you first heard it.
Secondly no individual was accused of malice from me, perhaps the way it was presented. What I meant was the briefing (think I said crusade) against Brendan Rodgers from early drip feed/innuendo, through ill based allegations, to Fraudgers was malicious.
Culminating in some bampots singing about the IRA killing him and the burglary of his house when his family were at home. Now, I sure these folk have nothing to do with Celtic but all in all it didn’t show the Celtic family in a great light.
Now the China Crisis is a made up story, how do I know? Because there are half a dozen different versions and they are materially different, therefore they can’t all be right can they? Someone must have made some of it up. If there is one that is somewhat accurate and I have no idea which one that might be, it has been spun with such vigour as to make the whole thing sound implausible.
So for me the fact that these “yarns” came to light when there was an anti-BR campaign going on is no coincidence, they have no credence.
MADMITCH @ 9:56 AM,
“My thoughts are based on a premise that any successful business has to have a plan going forward — stagnation leads to decline if it is just a case of more of the same.
My thoughts are based on two elements:
The ground and its associated facilities have not substantially improved in 20 years.
Disco lights, some block paving and a new pitch are local improvements but not the step change we need.
We are now behind the curve regarding what we offer compared to other clubs regarding fan facilities and match-day spend. The Main Stand needs a ground up re-build and we need to be planning for this now rather than a cavalry charge at some time in the future when the arbitrage instincts of DD pay off.
The second point is the progress we have made in the past 2.5 years with our understanding that investment does pay off — investment in the coaching staff in 2016 has produced a step change in our view of the world.
Consequently well planned investment does pay off financially.
Penny pinching and setting our sights low emptied the LL Upper.
Investment in a top quality coach filled the LL Upper and sold out the season tickets.
At the moment we are happy to spend big — very big — on executive bonuses to the point that we are in danger of losing sight on what should be important to the club and where our future lies. We need to re-focus and put more effort into moving the club and team forward rather than rewarding the rent seeker in the corner office.
My base point is that what we have is not good enough.
The poor quality of the fan facilities is costing us money.
The whole of football is now investing in infrastructure that makes a game of football a day out rather than something that has to be accommodated between a half shift on a Saturday and a family meal at six.
There are a number of ways to improve things:
Immediate / Aug 2019 = Container City fan zone along Holywell Street / Janefield Street and behind both the JS and LL stands with a temporary cover.
Short term / Aug 2021 = £10mill spend behind the JS Stand including a multi-storey car park to free up space for further developments.
Medium Term / Aug 23 = New Main Stand providing 7K extra regular seats and space for 8K more up in the attic. We have to do something just a case of how much and when?
The costs will be substantial but so will be the rewards — more seats and better seats should bring in another £10mill in ticket and hospitality sales plus better facilities will transform the matchday offer and spend. Currently you cannot get a meal at the ground unless you are in some sort of hospitality or you are in the free pie seats — this is great for the Merchant City but poor for our finances.
Bare bones design — with lots of covered space — would be £50-60mill.
L/pool new main stand style build — more complete fit out — would be £80-100mill.
State of the art with hotel standard facilities / conference would be more and probably a lot more.
My thoughts are build big with large covered spaces and areas and fill in the detail as the demand and the customer base is better understood. The big question still outstanding id where will the money be coming from — my thoughts are CFC Infrastructure bonds.
Mix of 10 year, 15 year, 20 year and 25 year bonds.
Longer periods mean higher interest rates — example below for 15 year:
Paying 3% base.
4% if we win the SPL.
5% if we make the CL group stages or similar.
6% if we make the EPL or similar.
£100mill of bond debt then becomes manageable to my eyes if we are bringing in an extra £20mill in revenue — even an extra £10mill makes the project wash its face.
FMcC in 1994 offered us a vision and more importantly delivered the vision that went well beyond what we were expecting or what we thought we were capable off. That was leadership but the world has moved on.
So now we need more of that long term planning at the moment — just being better than our rivals in Govan is not good enough. We need to forget about them and take in bigger horizons.
Finally we need to do more for the Parkhead, the East End and the City.
If we have the facilities and the product on the park then we can open up the tourist angle.
Eye opener down in L/pool city centre last May — the amount of different accents talking about the last home game of the season was incredible.
At the moment we only take money off our local support base we should be taking money off the world.
Think you tick all the boxes there, wish I’d the time to make a few more points.
Suffice to say I agree.
In the last two full Seasons it has more than justified those who advocated investing in the team; players, coaches, specialists, management etc.
Being successful on the pitch has a direct correlation to success on the balance sheet. It has be proven now beyond any doubt.
Why did we change that winning formula this season!?
Sure Fergus was a true leader, looking back there was an element of genius how he set us up for what was in relative terms a shoestring.
With Dermot Desomnd’s financial muscle and know how and Brian Quinn’s fiscal and fiduciary excellence they put together a copper plated set up. With hindsight we can see what an awesome achievement it really was.
My strong belief is we don’t wait for any gold at the bottom of any ECA Club championship rainbow. The last time we did that was the MO’N tenure. A high water mark in our post Kelly/White era, as we chased the FAPL rainbow. It took us a decade to get over that and flourish again while those in charge treaded water.
It’s interesting we have to wait for investment in the team, we have to wait for investment in our infrastructure but the execs, they can be paid at tier 1 Club executive standard – not bad for water treading.
Aff Oot
Hail Hail
So Ntcham has been missing the last few weeks because he was ill
No he had a hamstring injury
No he had a knee injury
Mmm wonder what is actually the story there
Anyway, without a fully fit Ntcham, Rogic, Christie and Tierney Sunday will be far from easy
BBhoy
Plenty in town depending on where u are and what type of pub you want to watch it in, Malones in Sauchiehsll lane (where a few will be Saturday on)
Graces down near Merchant city and up the Gallowgate if u fancy a bit of atmosphere before gengane too
I hate trying to access and post on CQN
Either that or my spelling is as bad as ever ??
I doubt the hotel will ever happen, certainly its not viewed favourably with those asked to tender for it, though i suspect the lack of keenness is purely sectarian (i say this based on the rabid fervour an orc tells me every single time he has a few shandies)
Bhoylo83 @2:38
Yes a strange one HH
https://twitter.com/FrPaulStone/status/1110599852210176000?s=08
I think building a Hotel with our cash or from other club source would be a total waste of money as the profit from the Hotel would be very small in my opinion, somewhere around £1million per year, better in my opinion to increase revenue by having better facilities for fans and an upgrade to the mainstand at a minimum to make it the same height as the rest of the stadium would be my preference, then we could look at a retractable roof, enclosed eateries bars etc.
go tell the spartim
I’m still waiting on the new Celtic museum etc for which Celtic applied for planning permission to build on the site of the old London Road school which Celtic were originally going to use as said Celtic museum before er demolishing it and turned it into a corporate car park.
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
thank you, will have a look at them,
Bbhoy HH
The executive car park………er….sorry The ‘museum ‘ ,doesn’t look like its moving anytime soon….
https://stv.tv/news/west-central/1436615-no-single-direct-cause-of-celtic-park-crush-before-old-firm/
Or how about re-routing 15,000 fans through a narrow space, to accommodate 800 huns? That’s what happened…..
What a lot of lillian gish that turned out to be. As usual Police Scotland and their view and treatment of Celtic fans, and football fans in general is nowhere to be seen.
bada bing
If you are going to hold an “Independent” inquiry it is always better to pay for it yourself!
The expected whitewash, and bullshit ‘reasons ‘
GO TELL THE SPARTIM on 27TH MARCH 2019 3:05 PM
I doubt the hotel will ever happen, certainly its not viewed favourably with those asked to tender for it, though i suspect the lack of keenness is purely sectarian (i say this based on the rabid fervour an orc tells me every single time he has a few shandies)
—————-
thats interesting bud, at first i doubted the commercial business case for any hotel in the environs of celtic park. However on talking to others in the Leisure RE market, they felt it will work, and depending on operating model it will be healthy. particularly because of the events at the Emirates, a walking distance hotel for participants at events maybe a good preference to travelling in from elsewhere.
The lack of keenness to tender maybe sectarian tittle tattle, but why would any developer not do it, they get paid for putting it up, not operating it.
Anyways, unbelievably to this child of the industrial wasteland of Glasgow, its now a go to place with a need for thoosands more bedrooms.
I think it will be a goer.
https://www.scotsman.com/business/companies/media-leisure/glasgow-leads-uk-hotel-growth-with-soaring-revenues-1-4895491
The report, what is the real lessons learned ?
Is it simply to bus in the uglies early.
Remember 59000 celts turn up most weeks and go about their usual routes to and from the park, with no disturbance or crushing. On the occasion only 800 uglies visited, the redirection of the crowd following normal routes closure led to crushing at the opposite end of the ground. someone in authority should have been held accountable.
BBhoy
McCuhills also I’d imagine, need to check if ticket needed though so best check when you arrive in town
With 4 days until the vermin are at CP again, what is the plan, what are the details?
In case I forget……….CelticByNumbers…really, really admire your stuff here.
Cap doffed.
HH
Celtic be a green hotel and get these guys to install a system.
http://www.ecghydro.com/
If only so there is crisp shiso for the foie and truffle wraps
Anybody not renewing for 9 in a row, is worth the watching.