Spanish football, like its economy in general, in mired in difficult financial times, which, apart from one or two well-funded clubs, has restricted the budgetary scope of a large number of teams. I had hoped all summer to hear we were on the case but it wasn’t until the final day of the window that solid opportunities materialised.
Marseille-born Tunisian international Lassad Nouioui is a complete unknown to all of us but his profile, earned at Deportivo La Coruna, fits the bill. He scored a handful of goals as Deportivo finished 18th and dropped out of La Liga in season 2010-11 but hit the heights last season as they secured promotion. It would be practically impossible for Celtic to sign a striker with the equivalent profile in English football, despite the apparent gap in standards between La Liga and the English Premier. I’m also delighted to hear Levante, who finished 6th in La Liga last season, were so keen to capture him.
There is also something I like about the port-town mentality the people of Marseille have. It’s very Glaswegian. Lassad should flourish here.
I’m not sure what Phil Mac Giolla Bhain’s reaction was when The Sun called asking for an interview about his new book, which details the mainstream media’s failure to report the demise of Rangers. “Are you joking?” may have been appropriate. I had no prior notice they were running an interview yesterday and couldn’t believe the promotion they gave to a book detailing the failure of their industry.
This was not without consequences, of course, and The Sun got themselves into an incredible mess, today trying their best to backpedal, which is pretty much what the theme of the book predicts (irony #1). Meanwhile there is a book publisher in Glasgow who cannot believe his luck. Thousands of unwitting critics and a leading newspaper have ensured Mac Giolla Bhain, who would struggle for a platform without the anger of others, has a bestseller on his hands (irony #2).
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(thumbsup)
Me
Close
Wee Oscar and me!!!
ha ha third for the newbie!!
borrocks dropped two places gloating over my third damnabbit!!
weeshauns freekick that decked b bag barry
12:27 on
3 September, 2012
borrocks dropped two places gloating over my third damnabbit!!
++++
(irony#3) ;-)
Oh well not bad considering I don’t operate the twitter headstart system
:-))))
voguepunter – Our hen1rik only likes the blue smarties. (thumbsup)
Glendalystonsils likes a mr whippy with his lime green jelly – many a fine coat was made from an old ocelot.
If you see anybody wearing a (thumbsup) coat, phone the police. (thumbsup)
Tallybhoy – Are ocelot’s cantankerous?
On Monday mornings they are. (thumbsup)
South Of Tunis – Those were slightly more innocent times when parents worried about what sort of books their teenage kids were reading. (thumbsup)
FGF
How did you loss that?. Same times 2 letters. Phil 8 plus ( ) Insider dealing me thinks!!!
Stewards enq???
”The Sun got themselves into an incredible mess, today trying their best to backpedal”
It’s what Kelvin McKenzie used to describe as doing a reverse ferret.
Paul67
I was delighted with Neil’s comments that they never thought they would ever be in with a chance to sign Miku. Getafe quoted Swansea 10 Milluion Euros for his signature.
Roll on the CL…
Twitter link is supposed to be slightly ahead of main sit , sure someone pointed this out before . I don’t do twitter Phil obviously does , oh well – another time.
OSCAR KNOX APPEAL
Hello , just to let you know that I am planning to take part in a 50 mile cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh, 09/09/2012
With just over a week to go, I will continue to train very hard in order to be able to take part in this cycle where I would hope to be able raise some funds for “Wee Oscar Knox” who is 3 year old kid and is not keeping very well just now.
You can read Oscar’s story on web link below….
http://www.justgiving.com/Team-Oscar-Knox-Appeal-Cycle-09092012-Paul-Muldoon
all donations are welcome and appreciated
please pass on oscar’s story
Welcome Lassad Nouioui. We are now well served up front it seems with the two new bhoys plus Hooper, Stokes and Watt, plus Samaras (if he is considered a striker/ forward and not a left or attacking midfielder now).
It’s going to be exciting when we get everyone fit again.
Sit = site :-)))
There can be no higher compliment than being rejected for publication by the Sun.
Phil MacGiollabhain must be doing cartwheels.
FourGreenFields – I can assure you I have never Twittered in my life.
Bah! (thumbsup)
Paul67
It looks like the EPL, Ligue 1 + the Bundesliga are not too worried about the FFP judging by the article below
Spending in the summer transfer window has increased year-on-year in England’s Premier League, France’s Ligue 1 and Germany’s 1.Bundesliga, but has reduced in Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s Primera Division, according to analysis by Deloitte.
The business advisory firm said that player transfer spending by Premier League clubs was around £490 million in the 2012 summer window, marginally up from the £485 million spent in summer 2011 but just short of the £500 million record of 2008. Transfer fees to overseas clubs were around £300 million, almost 50% up on the level seen in 2011. This represented 61% of total transfer fees committed by Premier League clubs, as compared with 42% in 2011. Deloitte said that spending in Ligue 1, mainly boosted by the financial might of Paris Saint-Germain, rose to around £190 million and the 1.Bundesliga increased to around £210 million. However, spending in Italy (around £310 million) and Spain (around £110 million) is at lower levels than the last summer window.
Commenting on Premier League spending Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said: “While the highest levels of spending continue to be at those clubs competing at the upper end of the Premier League and in European competition, we have also seen significant investment by the newly promoted teams, looking to establish themselves in the Premier League. While the new broadcast deals further demonstrate the commercial strength of the Premier League, the key challenge for Premier League clubs is how they manage their costs – notably transfer expenditure and players’ wages – so as to retain more of this increased revenue, address falling profits and, in the case of the top clubs, continue on the road to compliance with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.”
Alan Switzer, director in the Sports Business Group, added: “While the total spending this summer is still high, it should be considered in the context of increases of over 70% in the Premier League domestic broadcast deals announced earlier this year. Once overseas broadcast deals are factored in, the average Premier League club looks set to benefit from at least an additional £25 million of revenue per year from next season.”
Fenerbahce to put a cheeky wee bid in for Big Victor if they done get their top target…
wonkyradar
11:50 on
3 September, 2012
It is becoming more obvious by the day that the media strategy is to ‘talk up’ sevco, and to ‘talk down’ all things Celtic, to an even greater extent than in the past…….. Even if it means downright lies …. But that’s OK, we’ve resisted this aspect of playing football within a bigoted football establishment for over 100 years, and we’ll continue to do so ………do they not understand, however, that it was this strategy which resulted in the bhun demise in the first place ….!!!!
Fholks, there you go again prematurely judging our signings……in Neil we trust….he has done not too badly in the transfer market so far (within the necessary financial constraints)
philvisreturns
Just reporting what I heard , anyways well done on your latest 1st. :-)))
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon
12:34 on
3 September, 2012
Dare I say Anthony Stokes might be a bit worried about his future at Celtic? Neil(quite rightly IMO) has been critical of his work-rate and attitude for a long time now.
FGF
The trick is to come out of the current article and refresh the home page, as the new article will appear slightly ahead of Paul67 posting on the previous one.
Ain’t that right philvis :-)
I was going to say a lot but I don’t really know how to. Sometimes feelings are hard to convey.
It’s like this, on a wholly personal level : I will be in Glasgow to see The Hoops v Barca, but I will be unable to wear any Celtic apparel whatsoever ouside the confines of Glasgow’s East End without feeling unsafe. And I would be right to feel like that.
In 2012, that is unacceptable, but I have to live with it, because the o.o. and the huns say so.
At my own peril, defy them.
Saddening.
Anyone know why there are different transfer windows?
I believe the Russian one is still open and now Turkey – any reason?
top 20!
good point about how we wouldn’t be able to attract a similar player from the championship (rhodes anyone?) due to the crazy fees involved yet we can from Spain, good times are here.
as for phil, can’t help but feel that he was a bit naive in getting into bed with the scottish sun, after all they’re hardly renowned for their morals, hardly surprising that they’ve turned on him just because a few Sevcovians can’t handle the truth.
speaking of sevco, anyone else expect the league cup draw later today to be an absolute fix? if we do get them, celtic should absolutely avoid any talk of “old firm”, give them the minimum amount of tickets if at celtic park and refuse to acknowledge them as our “old” rivals.
philvis
“I can assure you I have never Twittered in my life. ”
What about that one time, at band camp?
Ten Men
The Germans will never be worried. They have domestic FFP in place since decades and must adhere to it. It is only an indication that the TV deals have been increased and that ST sales are on the up also.
They would like the rest of Europe to adopt their model http://www.ecaeurope.com but seem more interested in getting money from major tournaments for use of their players from UEFA and FIFA. International associations to pay for the use of club players and that they are heavily insured by UEFA while on international duty.
The ECA and UEFA has no interest in FFP it would seem. The ECA is just a front to extort money from UEFA.
Hail Hail
I see on the Celtic research twitter page that there is a lot about the Jim Spence/Jabba exchange on Radio Shortbread on Saturday.
Interesting to see Jabba is being challenged in his own backyard.
Is Phil’s book on sale now, and where can I buy it ?, now that the Sun have $$$$ themselves …LOL…….
hoopeddreams
12:35 on 3 September, 2012
”There can be no higher compliment than being rejected for publication by the Sun.
Phil MacGiollabhain must be doing cartwheels.”
He lost the moral high ground by agreeing to take their money in the first place though.
hamiltontim
I don’t do it for the glory , I do it for hell of it . Being a Celtic supporter is the greatest prize of all . :-)))))))))))
How would anyone know that the msm are talking up the huns?
Champions League to look forward to, very likely to win the league, some great new additions on the transfer front, some great young players now breaking through.
Who cares what huns are saying about the huns?
NOT ME!!!!
Division Three the lowest tier does not exist – it is not there
MSM wiped it out overnight, as soon as the vote was taken and it became clear that the team formerly known as Rangers would be required to be accomadated despite their generation of non tax payment.
The Elgin marvels are being supported harder than ever, heaven help Celtic supporters living in Scotland (and elsewhere) when the festering anger of where Sevco really are, gradually seeps into their psyche, now that ESPN’s ‘SFL league’ is underway.
Celtic supporters are suddenly very vulnerable.
Whether people think Phil Mac Giolla Bhain is right or wrong to entertain the Sun newspaper, and whether they serialize his book or not ….. Either way, the publicity, good/bad will inevitably mean his book is a best seller as Paul67 suggests.
Good on him IMO.
Saint Leo.
True – and even more so of some of the others are scoring goals before he is fit again. Might have a fight to get into the team at all.
Saint
I think its got summit to do with him laffing while he was warming up in the L C final. We were 1 nil down at the time.