I wanted a home draw but while Hibs deservedly beat Celtic in December, the fortunes of both teams have moved in opposite directions since then. We know the challenge at Easter Road and should be prepared for it.
News that the three teams competing for second spot in the league are also competing for the same place in the semi-finals is welcome. We knew they would take points off each other in recent weeks, and they did. They will weaken each other’s title challenge with the focus which will inevitably fall on these cup games.
The one concern I have is that this game against Hibs will be our second visit to Edinburgh that week; we are at Tynecastle the previous Wednesday, scene of another defeat this season. Before then, we are at Kilmarnock and face Valencia twice. It is a good job we have players returning from injury.
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Scott Sinclair is only eight goals away from Henrik Larrson’s goal tally in his first three seasons.
LiesDamnedLiesandStatistics CSC
The problem is if you invest heavily to try & secure Champions League, yes it improves your chances but there is no guarantee and if it doesn’t work and you don’t qualify you would be hit with a double whammy.
On today’s figures Invest 25 million on buying players plus wages, which in CL terms a very modest Investment, still don’t qualify and you will wipe out most of our cash reserves in a single year.
Dont worry 2 much about Dembele being sold, there will be another wan along soon…
Big Packy…..16 next birthday eh, is it the 29th February? ?
It’s quite incredible how there are so many supporters who are now obsessed with how much money we have in the bank and how much we spend, or not as is the case, at least we are not going bust, aye, Pedro has them well brainwashed ;-)
What we must do our utmost to avoid repeating, is failure to qualify for the CL financially mitigated by the sale of another gem . Dembele last summer , this summer? MacGregor? Forrest? Christie? Edouard?
A cycle of negativity.
FAN-A-TIC @ 7:18 PM,
Agreed… they maybe a highly enjoyable and productive sticking plaster, but they are still a sticking plaster…
The work we need to accomplish in June doesn’t bear thinking about, especially as there is little chance we’ll do it.
A lot of very good comments on the SKY/FAPL piece Auldheid linked and An Tearmann @ 4:36 PM C&P’d
F.U.B.A.R.BHOY @ 1:08 PM,
“Ask yourself WHY Sky got the monopoly in this country? Remember squarials? What happened to them?
Yes, it’s worth remembering the beginnings of BSkyB, from the “merger” of BSB and Sky.
The prolonged technology and other issues had meant both companies had enormous start up costs and it was thought, correctly, that the market could not bear two satellite broadcasters. As the subscriber had to buy their own equipment at great expense and because the technologies were not compatible people were waiting to see who survived before making the investment. All this had brough Rupert Murdoch’s News International on the brink of collapse.
So when Sky “won” out, they had to hugely increase the number of subscribers and quickly.
The top tier English Clubs had broken away from the Football League and were planning sell the TV rights for games. Sky needed to win this, even if it was a lost leader.
By having exclusive rights to show live Premier League football, supporters who wanted to watch the games had no option but to subscribe and Sky had a large niche market it could sell into.
One of the Chairman of the FAPL Clubs had an electronics business, that business sold “boxes” to BSkyB, it was alleged that he facilitated a last minute enhanced bid from BSkyB that just won the day… as this Chairman is now a paragon of virtue, I’ll leave it there.
Suffice to say that Sky’s subscription model from that day to this has had the FAPL as key.
As Football on TV article suggests the technology and the market has changed dramatically from where we were a generation ago.
Will Sky’s new owners Comcast see this “lost leader” as key to their subscriber model, I don’t think so. We already know the FAPL market in the UK has peaked (the already agreed new deal is lower than the current one).
This of course does not mean that English Clubs will lose huge revenues, they’re many ways their media package can be broken up and sold but if they are to maintain anything like the living standards they’ve grown accustomed too, they’ll have to be just as inventive and imaginative and ruthless as they were a generation ago.
Hail Hail
A lot of very good comments on the SKY/FAPL piece Auldheid linked and An Tearmann @ 4:36 PM C&P’d
F.U.B.A.R.BHOY @ 1:08 PM,
“Ask yourself WHY Sky got the monopoly in this country? Remember squarials? What happened to them?
Yes, it’s worth remembering the beginnings of BSkyB, from the “merger” of BSB and Sky.
The prolonged technology and other issues had meant both companies had enormous start up costs and it was thought, correctly, that the market could not bear two satellite broadcasters. As the subscriber had to buy their own equipment at great expense and because the technologies were not compatible people were waiting to see who survived before making the investment. All this had brough Rupert Murdoch’s News International on the brink of collapse.
So when Sky “won” out, they had to hugely increase the number of subscribers and quickly.
The top tier English Clubs had broken away from the Football League and were planning sell the TV rights for games. Sky needed to win this, even if it was a lost leader.
By having exclusive rights to show live Premier League football, supporters who wanted to watch the games had no option but to subscribe and Sky had a large niche market it could sell into.
One of the Chairman of the FAPL Clubs had an electronics business, that business sold “boxes” to BSkyB, it was alleged that he facilitated a last minute enhanced bid from BSkyB that just won the day… as this Chairman is now a paragon of virtue, I’ll leave it there.
Suffice to say that Sky’s subscription model from that day to this has had the FAPL as key.
As Football on TV article suggests the technology and the market has changed dramatically from where we were a generation ago.
Will Sky’s new owners Comcast see this “lost leader” as key to their subscriber model, I don’t think so. We already know the FAPL market in the UK has peaked (the already agreed new deal is lower than the current one).
This of course does not mean that English Clubs will lose huge revenues, they’re many ways their media package can be broken up and sold but if they are to maintain anything like the living standards they’ve grown accustomed too, they’ll have to be just as inventive and imaginative and ruthless as they were a generation ago.
Hail Hail
Apologies for the double C&P… ooops
BIG PACKY 1 on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 at 4:23 PM
126,101 plus you.
Think Big Packy has either been on my time machine or the Funny fags…
As Jim Royale wid say ….. 16 my bloody arse.
BP only kidding my friend, I hope you, Joan and the Dugs are well.
D. :)
@CORKCELT on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 7:19 PM
There has to be a bit of balance. If we continue to not invest for the CL qualifiers and subsequently get knocked out, we will be selling assets each year, weakening the squad and creating a snowball effect with the liklihood of qualifying decreasing the subsequent year(s).
I also thought the mantra of keeping next to £50m in the bank was that it was to be used for a rainy day and we could forgo the need to sell assets?
I don’t think Celtic necessarily need to spend £25m plus wages for the probability of our chances of qualifying to increase a signifiant amount. At the time we faced AEK we had only purchased Edouard and Bain. Had we have gotten Benkovic and Toljan (or equivalents) in a timely manner, i.e. prior to qualifying beginning or at least before the 3rd round, then we would likely have had a much better chance of progressing against AEK.
As it was we had Lustig and Hendry in a back four that didn’t cover itself in glory.
50 shades of green, Terje Vigen, David66, I can dream cant I ??
“In terms of investment our policy our commitment is every penny that comes into the club will be reinvested, it will go back into the club.
I do not think we can be clearer than that. There is no pile of cash sitting there that we could look at, watch, feel and touch. It doesn’t exist. It’s fantasy.”
Peter Lawwell 2014
Seems our policy have changed somewhat………
Corkcelt- throwing 2 centre backs together, on 6 month loan deals in June ,is asking for the same outcome as last year’s CLQ’s IMO HH
I thought we didn’t qualify for the group stages because we were fairly beaten over two legs by the Greek champions and if we’d spent or ‘invested’ £XX the team we wouldn’t have been any better prepared in the short period between completing the treble.
If being prepared meant John McGinn and A.N. Other, its wild speculation to say investment cost us the CL money, we’ll never know.
Would it also have prevented the loan deal of Benkovic? who along with personna non grata Boyata are the best two options at CB and have been instrumental if not pivotal in getting us thus far?
We’ll likely invest or take on some debt in summer when if the naysayers have their day we’ll be rebuilding the club including the management structure.
Give me Joy CSC
CORKCELT on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 7:19 PM
The problem is if you invest heavily to try & secure Champions League, yes it improves your chances but there is no guarantee and if it doesn’t work and you don’t qualify you would be hit with a double whammy.
Why say invest heavily?
We could argue that investing sensibly would have allowed us going int European qualifiers with a properly balanced squad.
A sensible investment plan and growth strategy is surely not beyond our highly paid and brilliant staff?
The use of fear to detract from a flawed strategy smacks of politicalspeak.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 7:33 PM
We weren’t selling Dembele until he spat the dummy and Brendan told him to clear his desk
Very poor planning last year. We knew Lustig and Boyata would be at the World Cup and that Boyata would be there until the later stages. Should have had cover organised. Compper threw things a bit, but still should have been better prepared.
Not sure we “had to sell” Dembele, but probably no CL was the thing that made him want to leave.
Hope we are scouting CBs at the moment, with two ready to come in by June/July (quality will depend on which comp we are in).
Can’t afford the same mistakes again this year.
Next year could be the real nightmare if Scotland get to the Euros.
Who wouldve thought that, failing to sign John McGinn, would blow a £30 million hole in the balance sheet, and that that corporate failure would be rewarded by hefty bonuses ?
And we’re told its the huns who are stupid!
HH
The Hands can’t hit. I agree with you there has to be balance and I think we could and should have done better preparation or the Euro Qualifiers. Hopefully we will have learned our lesson and be better prepared next year.
there are flaws in every strategy, even if you have gazilliobs of money to back it up, which we don’t. Although we do have a healthy pile of cash. Because of, not despite the strategy.
But 7 domestic trophies in a row does suggest getting more right than wrong
I’m not going to correct gazilliobs because it’s about right for some of the clubs out there now
Quick reminder that I am looking for a ticket for the home game against Valencia for my granddaughter.
I am also looking for a pair of tickets for the away leg for myself and BMCUWP late of this parish!!!
The feelgood factor has not lasted very long !
Apparently, qualifying for the CL is, in fact, very simple and doesn`t even cost a lot of money. Just buy `sensibly` and good performances are guaranteed,seems to be the view.That would suggest the Final this year will involve about six teams ! How much did Arsenal and Chelsea spend?
Is the negativity connected to the fact that we are second favourites going into the Valencia game? Or is it simply because someone waved a red flag ie The Accounts .
Cheerio for now.
JJ
PS If spending money is the answer, Man U are in for a doing tonight.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
AEK were a very average team who subsequently got hammered in the group stages.
They were more than beatable and although some of the blame lies with a poor coaching performance a lack of forward planning particularly in the Boyata situation left us short in vital areas
If we were complacent and put all our eggs in the Boyata signing basket then that shows a remarkable lack of preparedness by our highly paid staff not to have alternatives..
COSY CORNER BHOY on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 7:55 PM
Quick reminder that I am looking for a ticket for the home game against Valencia for my granddaughter.
I am also looking for a pair of tickets for the away leg for myself and BMCUWP late of this parish!!!
—————————–
Best of luck with that P…..this BMCUWP geezer ? never heard of him :O) hh
HOT SMOKED
Another huge leap to use the latter stages of Champions league in your post.
No one suggested or expected such.
The debate was about the strategy and has nothing to do with being ungrateful of our present situation.
We have money in the bank because of the strategy………Dearie Me
We have money in the bank because of Brendan Rodgers, feck all to do with the strategy.
CELTIC40ME @ 7:51 PM,
Dembele’s little pantomime was the last piece in the process….
A player needs permission to talk to another Club…
Between the Clubs and the Agent many things have to be agreed including personal terms.
The Club’s have to haggle over the transfer fee any potential sell on fee etc etc…
Do you believe none of that was in place on the Thursday, then somehow suddenly got agreed on Friday afternoon?
I don’t. Like Boyata before, Celtic were in deep and serious negotiations over the player’s transfer.
I take the point BSR made that on the Thursday BR had vetoed the move and the Board were backing him. My point is… by taking the negotiations to the point of dotting the i’ s and crossing the t’s Brendan was left in an impossible position.
Hail Hail
Just think
If Peter Lawwell gave back his wages and his bonus we could buy one of Dembeles legs back from Lyon.
Ah dont think…we might have if..not a lot of…i reckon we would have…..we only bought…
Thoughts from everyone.com
HH
We will be fine
CHAIRBHOY on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 8:07 PM
I don’t know for sure what happened but it looked like he was staying until he threw his tantrum and Brendan told him to go
Didn’t Brendan say exactly that?
THE EXILED TIM on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 8:07 PM
Brendan Rodgers has been great for Celtic but we’ve done pretty well before he came and I reckon we’ll get by after he leaves. Which he will, hopefully not any time soon
Longhistorycsc
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 7:18 PM
Scott Sinclair is only eight goals away from Henrik Larrson’s goal tally in his first three seasons.
LiesDamnedLiesandStatistics CSC
———-
Henrik was out for 8 months with a broken leg.
LiesDamnedLiesandStatistics CSC
Brendan Rodgers does good
Peter Lawwell does bad
Having money is bad
Spending money is good.
CELTIC40ME @ 8:12 PM,
Well yes and I take the point completely.
Yet the fact is when we were approached, we should have asked the head of football what he thought. Then a polite… thanks but he’s not for sale… right at the beginning.
There has to be executives at Celtic whose job it is to find suitors for players and maximise that revenue stream, I get that. But it’s like these guys are pitbulls of the leash.
You don’t agree a whole deal then run it past the head of football. The players think the move is on, monies and other personal terms being discussed and agreed they are ambitious young men, that’s why they did well at Celtic. These moves should have been agreed with Brendan in advance or nipped in the bud.
We should remember Brendan also said he thought the plan was for Moussa to sign an extended contract and get his move in the future.
Hail Hail
Song for peter
DAVID17
Thanks, for that, you are now the resident CQN bones broken monitor, keep up the good work.
C40M
Of course, but that wasn’t the point of my post, you said we have money in the bank because of our strategy, we don’t, our strategy is flawed, we are paying for a whean of haddies that are doing nothing but draining money from the club, now the Pedro groupies will blame Brendan for this, but it’s the strategy of buying cheap in the hope of making heaps when we sell them on, if you take away the CL and Europa’s money that Brendan has brought into the club, we would be in the financial shit if we were solely relying on the strategy.
I concede that maybes Brendan doesn’t have an eye for buying in the basement dept, his forte is developing players as far as I can see, so, that being the case, if as so many are saying that Brendan has control of the scouting and recruiting of players, our CEO is failing by allowing him this leeway as it;’s failing big time, yous can’t have it both ways.
HH