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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GARY67 on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 12:52 PM
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/west-broms-james-morrison-denied-11828190
Why wait until so late in the window?
If the manager wanted him why not make enquiry when Gamboa discussions were on-going from the weekend?
____
Maybe we weren’t that interested. Maybe he was our third or fourth choice? Maybe we needed the cash from the Simunovic deal
We were definitely in for Iniesta as first choice. James Forrest said he was desperate to get here and was looking at flats in Calton.
http://thecelticblog.com/2016/09/blogs/optimism-reigns-but-crucial-issues-still-need-fixed-as-brendans-first-transfer-window-closes/
Take a look at @SimunovicJozo’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/SimunovicJozo/status/771310274758356993?s=08
How much will we spend this time next year if we are in EL and not the CL?
the glorious balance sheet
We will likely enter CL qualifiers needing a central defender, a replacement for Roberts and the midfielder Brendan spoke about this past week.
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I’ve said my piece already this morning and won’t bore you all by repeating it, but I overlooked this excellent point. Sobering thought.
I trust BR to get the people he needs in but this is a point worth bearing in mind.
HUGH BONKLE FAE DALLAS on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 12:59 PM
Nah Sorry Paul 67 not buying it. We, relatively speaking are in a stronger position than at any time in those 6 years. I believe we have a real chance of turnover exceeding £100m this year. We are always told we don’t budget for being in the champions league so this money is over and above the budget. If we always “spend all the money that comes in over any business period” when is this money going to be spent?
I don’t want the club to spend £30m now but we can all see that there are key areas of the team needing strengthened. It’s all relative and we didn’t deploy our resources as well as we could have. We are used to this by now. I think I dread the transfers windows as much as Peter.
___
To be honest, I’m happy with the squad.
Everybody agrees we could have signed a new central midfielder but he would have needed to be exceptional to make a difference.
We are fine for numbers. We’re playing well.
Why do you think the squad is so hopeless?
Glad Simunovic deal didn’t go through
else we would have had BFDJ pointing out that
Skintflints had spent more money that us.
!!BADA BING!!
Class. Absolute class from the big man.
!!Bada Bing!!
Hopefully Jozo proves himself to be a valuable player this year.
Apparently it was Mark Warburton’s ambition that made Senderos sign for. “Rangers”. As opposed to signing for………..???
AURORABOREALIS79 on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 12:02 PM
that’s impossible ;-)
!!BADA BING!! on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:01 PM
Take a look at @SimunovicJozo’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/SimunovicJozo/status/771310274758356993?s=08
____________________________
Well said Jozo!
KTF
“CELTIC NEWS, NOT LAZY JOURNALISM”
I don’t like to be picky, but there is evidence that standards are slipping at CQN…
Two very recent items listed on CelticNewsNow are mentioned (and linked) below.
Exhibit A: http://goo.gl/PgHQyM
An extract from the “A Year In The Wilderness” article about Efe Ambrose:
“The player was excluded from the play-off squad at the expense of goalkeeper Dorus de Vries and the Hoops boss has since added left back Cristian Gamboa, signed this week from West Brom, to his pool.”
Left back Cristian Gamboa? I thought he was a right back.
Exhibit B: http://goo.gl/YTxqA2
“NEIL LENNON moved to sign a new midfielder from Celtic but it was not Liam Henderson as many had predicted. Instead he has looked to the excellent Celtic Development Squad to take to Easter Roar on a permanent deal.”
So who did Neil Lennon take to “Easter Roar” (sic)?
The only player mentioned by name in this piece is Liam Henderson, and it explicitly states that the player signed is NOT Liam Henderson. But it doesn’t tell us who Neil Lennon has actually signed!
Now this IS what I’d call lazy journalism!
;o)
AwayBackBehindTheSetteeCSC
Qualified for the Champions League? Check
What about the league? 3 games played, 3 wins and 10 goals scored. Top of the league with a game in hand.
How about the Colts? Beaten two decent lower league sides despite losing a couple of players to loan deals.
Why are folk coming up with the verdict that we should have signed more players? They say that every window regardless of the evidence.
If we can get beaten 2-0 by Happoel…..think what Manc City, Barca, and BMG could do.
Time there was a bit of realism here.
We should have strengthened the midfield no doubt.
We are not world beaters yet ffs.
HH
Paul67,
Brendan was at St Ninians High School in Kirkintilloch today and talked to the pupils about his inspiration, fav players, great games.
He was asked when leaving about a midfielder. He cleverly made it known he was disappointed as many important games coming up.
It would be great to see a link to the quote that Brendan was delighted !
It has been a mediocre transfer window based on 10k additional season tickets and CL £30m. The time to pass judgement will be after the first suite of games ( the second half is tougher ). Three losses with zero goals will confirm the window as a failure. Only one man will be happy —Lawwell.
The beancounter won this round and if we are to keep Brendan —Dermot will have to be ruthless and chase Lawwell/Park asap.
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:11 PM
If we can get beaten 2-0 by Happoel…..think what Manc City, Barca, and BMG could do.
Time there was a bit of realism here.
We should have strengthened the midfield no doubt.
We are not world beaters yet ffs.
___
The season we beat Barcelona we lost to St Johnstone and Ross County
Is world beaters a realistic expectation?
timaloy29 (1:01pm): “We were definitely in for Iniesta as first choice. James Forrest said he was desperate to get here and was looking at flats in Calton.”
The prospect of the diminutive but sublimely skilful Iniesta facing the hammer throwers at Ibrox with a compliant referee just doesn’t bear thinking about. He’d have to save that experience for the final match of his illustrious career, as it would indeed probably be the final match of his career!
LUCKY CODY on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:13 PM
Brendan can be unhappy that a particular deal didn’t come off and be pleased that the progress overall.
BIGCHIPSUK – 10 IN A ROW (2001-2010) on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:16 PM
timaloy29 (1:01pm): “We were definitely in for Iniesta as first choice. James Forrest said he was desperate to get here and was looking at flats in Calton.”
The prospect of the diminutive but sublimely skilful Iniesta facing the hammer throwers at Ibrox with a compliant referee just doesn’t bear thinking about. He’d have to save that experience for the final match of his illustrious career, as it would indeed probably be the final match of his career!
____
Haha
He’d probably be thinking “I didn’t know cage fighting was a team sport”
Timaloy29
Beat by Red Imps 1-0
Beat by Happoel 2-0
But thats ok, because we beat Hearts and Aberdeen?
Dont quite get that logic.
The way i see it is this.
If the PLC want to see Celtic as a CL team…..they need to engage their fecking brains.
Why would you not bolster the midfield, considering the opposition we have to face?
Is that being realistic?
HH
Just back from a beach walk, but due to the overwhelming response to my post at the end of the previous thread, I will re-post , dhttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qlSvf0c9Gn4
THOMTHETHIM FOR OSCAR OK on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 12:00 PM
Good morning..ish,
Just trying to catch up, so haven’t read back, so I presume we are mostly happy, over all, with the transfer window.
I wonder if Mc.Carthy was the player that Brendan really wanted?
If so, then I am quite happy that he is still at Everton, or more precisely, the Physio’s couch at Goodison, awaiting confirmation as to whether he needs a groin op or not.
So far, all the players brought in have improved the team. Gamboa still to show.
Even though we had no new “ins” yesterday, I consider Jozo’s collapsed move to Torino a blessing for us……like signing a new player (c. some nutter).
Happy to see Chucker Mulgrew vacate the premises. Just Commons of the Dissenters left, after Scott Brown had a word in his ear.
I’ll finish now and let Paul post a new article.
***
The fanfare and superlatives that surround this transfer window are disingenuous board promoted nonsense
Minimal net spend and a midfield just about good enough for the SPL
Really looking forward to seeing McGregor in the CL….
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:19 PM
Timaloy29
Beat by Red Imps 1-0
Beat by Happoel 2-0
But thats ok, because we beat Hearts and Aberdeen?
Dont quite get that logic.
____
You are the one trying to ply that logic. I was just pointing out it’s silly.
____
If the PLC want to see Celtic as a CL team…..they need to engage their fecking brains.
Why would you not bolster the midfield, considering the opposition we have to face?
Is that being realistic?
___
We are a CL team in that we are capable of qualifying. We’re never going to have a budget to compete with City or Barcelona.
We can only improve the squad the best we can. I think we have done so in this window and I hope we do so again in January.
I am disappointed that a midfielder didn’t arrive as well. But you have to look at the long-term. Biton and Brown are fit and we have young Henderson and Ajer around.
When did Celtic become all about buying?
Whats the point of fighting to get through to the CL and earning 30 Million….if you wont spend any of it, improving the team, while you have the chance.
It makes no sense.
What good is money in the bank….if the PLC wont buy a decent player we need.
Its a football team ffs, not a corner shop.
Whose rainy day are we saving the money for ffs?
Who is going to benefit from the 30 million, if some of it isnt spent on players?
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:19 PM
Timaloy29
Beat by Red Imps 1-0
Beat by Happoel 2-0
_________________________
We beat Lincoln Red Imps 3-1 on aggregate.
We beat Astana 3-2 on Aggregate.
We beat Hapoel Be’er Shiva 5-4 on aggregate.
As a result we are in the Champions League. We are top of the League; we have signed 6 new players this season; we have a new top-class manager.
It’s looking no’ too bad to be honest!
KTF
TBB
Good post a lot of it why i also believed it was a missed oportunity.
What is it about Celtic that we never ever buy from a position of
strength?
The Green Man says SACK THE Board on 1st September 2016 1:25 pm
Whats the point of fighting to get through to the CL and earning 30 Million….if you wont spend any of it, improving the team, while you have the chance.
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We are Rosenborg-ing. And I have no problem with that, as long as we are honest with ourselves about it.
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:19 PM
Realistically Celtic are not a CL side this season, and within the budgets available could not buy their way into being a CL side in one transfer window.
The best you can hope for is that over two or three seasons the side will gradually improve to a position where they might be regarded as CL quality.
Who benefits from the 30 Million?
Who?
Is it the supporters?
What do the supporters get?
Miserablists rule , ya bas.
Thank god it`s only on CQN.
Hello Hello
We are the Timaloys.
The Green Man (1:19pm):
“Timaloy29,
Beat by Red Imps 1-0
Beat by Happoel 2-0
But thats ok, because we beat Hearts and Aberdeen?”
——————————————————————————————————————————————–
We beat last season’s runners-up comfortably at home, and ;ast season’s next closest challengers on their own patch, in spite of their referee sponsored free goal. And we knocked both Lincoln Red Imps and Happoel Be’er Sheva out of the CL qualifiers en route to qualifying for the Group Stages of the world’s most prestigious club football tournament. And that isn’t enough for some people?!!!
The CL qualifiers were two-legged affairs, so it is the aggregate score that matters, particularly at such an early stage in the season. To complain as you do about the away leg defeats is tantamount to finishing the season as SPL Champions with a record points tally of 108 from 36 victories, and demanding that the manager and board fall on their swords because we lost 0-1 and 3-4 at Ibrox.
LUCKY CODY on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:13 PM
Paul67,
It would be great to see a link to the quote that Brendan was delighted !
Not a quote to say that he was delighted but if you look at his press conference after the 1st league game, go to about 4mins in and he says that if the club don’t make another signing in the window they have done brilliant for him and the team. The club then got another one in, so I would imagine that he is happy / satisfied with the transfer window.
WB
ERNIE LYNCH on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:26 PM
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2016 1:19 PM
Realistically Celtic are not a CL side this season, and within the budgets available could not buy their way into being a CL side in one transfer window.
_________________________
Ernie, I understand what you are trying to say but we are a Champions league team this season; we will see at what level when we come up against Barca, Man C and Monchengladbach. My suspicion (maybe a euphemism for hope) is that we won’t be as bad as the doom-mongers and naysayers are predicting today!
KTF
Forget European football for a moment, this is the time to spend 15-20 mil on 4 or 5 players , to secure domestic success for next few years.
I read one of our recent new posters (sorry I can’t remember your name) being delighted at the Gambao signing. He provided a fair we bit of info about him and if he turns out to be half the player our new poster believes he is then Brendan has worked magic. I’ve looked at him on you tube, he is pacey and good going forward but I didn’t see any footage of his defensive capabilities.
I look forward to seeing him in action and hope his pace is not a tool he uses to amend for bad defensive mistakes too often.
Defensively we look ok. In attack with LG on form and fit we are strong but if his fitness or form go we will struggle unless Dembeli ups his game and fitness markedly.
With regards Dembeli I have my concerns over his mindset when it comes to being a team player after watching him on Saturday when Sinclair took and scored the penalty. He obvioulsy wasn’t happy about not taking penalty but to show no emotion or want to celebrate his team score while moping at not getting to take it is play ground stuff. He needs to man up and team up. Learn it’s not about him. If penalties are his way of upping his scoring rate then I suggest he works on his game from open play.
Scot Sinclair looks like the real deal.
Toure looks impressive also.
I like Gordon but if De Vries is better then good. Proof will be in game time. I’d still stick with Gordon for the next month or so though and let him prove he is the man.
MWD
Ernie Lynch
I wouldnt disagree too much.
I do understand the complexity of the transfer window.
However, if you want to play in the big league, surely you must try to constantly improve the team.
I believe Brendan wanted a midfielder, and ive yet to hear him say he is ‘Delighted’
50,000 season tickets, 30 Million CL money….I dont think buying a good centre mid would have bankrupted the kitty.
I just want to see better players….like every supporter in football…..apart from sevco zombies of course:)
HH
Bada
That Jozo Tweet is the kind of thing I like to read on CQN. A little oasis of positivity in a desert of arrogantly expressed, and baseless in fact, opinion.
JJ