Brendan Rodgers brought five players to the club this transfer window: Moussa Dembele, Kolo Toure, Scott Sinclair, Dorus de Vries and Cristian Gamboa, two defenders, a wide midfielder, a striker and a goalkeeper. Moussa has been used sparingly so far, but there’s a decent chance four out of the five will be first choice for our key games this season. Kristoffer Ajer also arrived but was signed up by Ronny Deila earlier this year.
The leavers over the summer were mostly deadwood, with honourable mentions to Charlie Mulgrew and Stefan Johansen, both former Player of the Year winners. Our best wishes go with them. We also saw Saidy Janko escape on loan to Barnsley, Scott Allan head to Rotherham for the season, while Aidan Nesbitt will continue his apprenticeship at Morton until next summer.
You would be hard pressed to identify a better transfer window than this since the ‘Robbie Keane window’, which looked good at the time but was ultimately unproductive. Try naming one. Peter Lawwell’s adage about coming out of the window stronger than we went into it, was unequivocally achieved.
We also managed to achieve something you and I have debated here for years: spend early in the window in enhance your chances of reaching the Champions League. No one should be in any doubt that the reason we were able to achieve this, this season, was down to the personal pull of Brendan Rodgers.
Kolo, Scott and Moussa would not be here for any other manager, and without them, we’d not be in the Champions League. It wasn’t a decision to spend early this year that we didn’t want to do in earlier years, we’ve simply not had the drawing power to get the targets we wanted. That included Teemu Pukki, who wasn’t prepared to walk among us until we’d delivered Champions League football for him to enjoy. This is the reality, even for everyday-jobbers like Teemu.
Those of us who like the scientific approach to football won’t like this. Success shouldn’t be about reputations, it should be finding good managers or players who are undervalued, and giving them a platform to shine.
What the last two years demonstrated more than anything else, is that a football dressing room is an incredibly difficult place to get scientific. Brendan’s reputation as a top manager helps him deliver success, which we’re all happy about.
I spoke to someone last night who felt “cheated” by the window. “Why?” I asked. “Because we were promised a major spend. Dermot was raging at that other lot after the semi-final and we were promised a big spend. A week ago we were promised James McCarthy.”
Honestly, some journalist writes a complete fantasy and we’re jumping off cliffs after one of the best July and Augusts we’ve had in years. Don’t confuse media output with actual reality. It’s mostly nonsense. Dermot left the game in question before the penalties, there was no overreaction from the other lot.
And Celtic told anyone who asked that they had no intention of signing James McCarthy. If a fan told you otherwise, his taxi driver-source was misinformed. It happens. If a media outlet told to this, they either wanted to run the story without checking, or didn’t care.
Did we want more from the window? Yes. We all did and we all always do. That’s why Celtic were still on the hunt for a deal or two yesterday, but the manager’s primary bases were all covered. Celtic will continue to do what they always have done financially – spend all the money that comes in over any business period you care to mention.
Enjoy this season, I think it’s going to be a memorable one.
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WEEFRATHETIM
Nae bother,bud. I’ll look forward to it.
You taking yer penny whistle into town for some busking? I find that singing works,they pay me a fortune to shut up.
Yer kind regards will be passed on.
HH.
THUNDER ROAD on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 11:34 PM
Interesting assessment.
I like your point about the “vertically challenged ” Gamboa .
That was always a problem for Izzy.
The long high ball to the far post.
BMCUW
Aye right. Nae penny whistle player in this hoos, although, I used to play in an Irish Showband where the singer played a penny whistle. Talk later kiddo. HH
Cot now. HH
Today I submitted a motion to congratulate the Celtic FC supporters on their commendable fundraising for #Palestine
Sorry, meant to delete that as it didn’t work. Apols. HH
just finished watching the second instalment of Scotland’s Game. What a pile of shite. 42 minutes pummelling it into Hearts and Vlad Romanov, with a tack on at the end about the huns and David Murray. A brief mention about their administration, no mention of their failed CVA, no mention of their liquidation.
A fucking disgrace and all part of the big lie. All brought to you by Hun Media Scotland.
I wont be watching the next two parts as it’ll probably be all about the resurgence of the cancer that is RFC, the club who took theft of money, fan’s aspirations and taxes to an unprecedented level. Not to forget in their recent guise they also stole money from their fans on the premise that they were running a charity match.
Hell’s fire is not hot enough for them.
In ten days time, it may not be hot enough for the current incumbents of our posh rooms in the bowels of paradise.
Maybe, our leaders could find a set of balls similar to those that have surfaced at Aberdeen, I don’t think that will be happening, which is pretty damning.
acgr is disgruntled…………………:_(
I’ll take your word for it Paul, but it really begs the question: If the profile of the manager is the overarcing factor in getting in quality players (and not the draw of the Champions League), why did Mr Lawwell saddle us with a no-name Norwegian for 2 years, whilst pursuing a policy of signing mostly duds? For me at least the damage is already long done and the trust is gone. I won’t be truly happy until Lawwell steps down and lets someone else take over. Whatever he does from here in out, he took us backwards when we could have been kicking on out of sight. I know I’m not alone in mistrusting the guy.
Hoi weefra, did you get a handle on handel?
Hope so.
HH
ACGR
Disgruntled? Bloody hell,you don’t say!
You ever gruntled,ya miserable git?
Have a laugh,check this out,courtesy of WEEFRATHETIM.
http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?/topic/299497-scotlands-game/
ACGR
Nope, remember my age. I have not a clue how this works. I’m sure you’ll enlighten me on our next meet at CP. luv you ghuys to bits. Need cot now. Thanks for your fantastic friendship “M” HH
I hate this rubbish about good or bad transfer windows, it’s one of the most annoying things about the modern game. We all feel like we need to have an opinion but we we don’t know how good if bad it is until he players we’ve brought in have been at the club for at least a season
I know it’s a bit like Godwin’s law but I’ll bet two days after henrik signed no one
was claiming it was the best but if transfer business we’d ever do
Hey BobM, I’ll gruntle you if you ever organise another hootenanny I can attend. One could almost say, I’m in a mental state of extreme paranoia. So they could, if they said it, aye they could.
Nah, it’ll all even itself oot eventually……………………………:_)
Did weefra get the tone on the phone?
Celtic PLC couldn’t care about the CL. Rodgers was brought in because of the will of The donut, after DD was humiliated at the semi final. It’s all about the Huns. The squirming into this years CL has me worried. If Celtic concede less than 14 this time I will consider it an improvement .
Weefra, I’ll phone you tomorrow morning. Just remind me again that you don’t have one of those shit iPhone machines? Pleez pleez not an iPhone, who in their right mind uses this piece of junk.
HH
ACGR
I have to absolve myself of blame for this one,mate. My original plan would have been for it to be about a month later.
C’est la vie…
Thon Aberlour sounds a peach,btw. Must inspect the ‘cellar’ tomorrow. Planning a quiet weekend,which usually means my recycling box runneth over,haha!
MARGARET MCGILL
14?
Which game?
BARNEY__CELT on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2016 12:29 AM
I’ll take your word for it Paul, but it really begs the question: If the profile of the manager is the overarcing factor in getting in quality players (and not the draw of the Champions League), why did Mr Lawwell saddle us with a no-name Norwegian for 2 years, whilst pursuing a policy of signing mostly duds?
=======================================================
Blame the Board , not P.L.
He does what the Board tells him to do.
Will the hun and the compliant hun media be able to shame and bow Aberdeen the way they were able to and allowed to bully small clubs like Montrose when they printed the truth on their match program?
Will Aberdeen apologise the way Montrose were forced to do? If they are its time up.
Maybe a bigger club with some influence who were not afraid of the bully could have stepped in to help instead of leaving the wee gable endies to fight the whole hun institution on its own.
Celtic are shitebags and I doubt that will change in the match program a week on Sat.
My Gruntle is still in a dis.
BMCUW
Last group stages Celtic total was scored 3 conceded 14
Ajax AC Milan and Barcelons
Barcelona
MAGS
I know. My Dad and my sis were at the game when we lost nearly half of those goals. Along with a fair whack of CQNers,I might add.
Jinxes,the lorra them!
Forget the scores in the C.L.
Any point is a bonus.
We have got the bickies.
Celebrate.
Its a preparation for returning to competitiveness in Europe.
Baby steps meantime.
Maggie doll, can we no play the Barcelons. They were narrowly beaten by the clangers,
I fink we could do them.
Its amazing that 12’000 miles of separation doesn’t reduce dilute the pish that Macjay spouts.
HH Macjay btw, hope you’re well bruv.
BMCUW
I was at the AC Milan game with Jimbo67 and Morrissey
ACGR
LOL
MAGS
Jimbomwas one of those mentioned. Smashing fella!
In fact,since MORRISSEY is exactly the same,some night!!
Jimbo…
Just had a welcome mail from TAURANGATIM,seems the tsunami alert over his way came to nothing much.
Result!
..
Shirley it’s the Best Window in 6 and a Half Years..
As The Willo Flood Window was 6 Years ago..【ツ】
Misses the Last Penalty in Penalty Shoot Out..against Celtic is Cup Semi Final.. Then signs for Celtic for £50k a week later..
As our 113th Midfielder in that Squad..
Yea best Window for well over 6 Years..
Summa
Hmmmm..
If PL does exactly what the board tells him to do what is the point in the role of CEO?
More reason to sack him. A complete waste of a position.
Has TD67 manned up yet?
MWD
BMCUWP, no worries pal, I’ll get up with you on the next one. ……………………
Love chariot time for me, there’s a fat huge wan up there that needs a cuddle, and unfortunately that’s part of my joab description:_(
Playing sclaffbaw with young acgr tomorrow on god’s holy turf before he heads back to uni on Monday (don’t tell that thick ignorant prick donly my boy is at uni). I’m gonnay miss getting hammered by that boy on the sclaffbaw court, but I’ll be getting him hammered tomorrow night on his choice of swally.
HH and goodnight Celtic Men and Wummin
Macjay
You say “forget the scores in the CL, any point is a bonus, we got the bickies”
Why don’t we just forfeit all 6 CL matches and at the same time each match was due to be played, a giant paddling pool full of cash can instead be brought onto the pitch at Celtic Park and big Peter and Desmondo can get the speedos on and dive into all that filthy wonga (largely all intact thanks to our failed attempts to sign James Morrison on loan and no plan b)
While the fans cheer to the rafters as the balance sheet is projected onto the big screens.
Could even see all four corners of the ground doing the huddle as they see the Celtic bank statement flashed on the big screens with the entry that says – 26 August + £20,000,000 CR (UEFA )
Cos it’s all about the money isn’t it?
Macjay, @ 1.04 or 10.24 oz time
Baby steps ‘meantime?’
I think the third word there might be a bit of a Freudian?
‘Sack the board’ Macjay:))
P.S.
Summa, I sold my boat, Crazy Diamond and I hud a rear in my eye. Money is now being wasted on Celtic so it’s all good.
Feckin aussies!!!………………..:_)
As an example.
Setting company strategy and direction is a main responsibility of a CEO.
As is building and leading senior executive team, Commercial director, financial director ( yip board members ).
If the board has responsibility for this then PL is surplus to requirements as is his salary and bonus.
So in other words Macjay is saying sack PL.
:-)
MWD
ACGR
Celtic have already shown their colours with regards to the continuity myth by charging £50 a ticket for the sevco match.
The programme approach will be interesting though…if thats the right word.