They call it Helicopter Money. Income that just lands in your lap without you having to do any work for it. It brings a special kind of joy. The millions Celtic will earn as a result of a sell-on clause from Virgil van Dijk’s £75m sale to Liverpool is a classic of the genre.
Right off, let’s acknowledge a few facts. Virgil’s £2.6m capture from Groningen was a brilliant piece of business by the club. Many are due credit for this, including Neil Lennon and Peter Lawwell, but the occasionally-maligned John Park, in particular, deserves applause.
Park lost his Midas touch after the January 2012 capture of Mikael Lustig, but that had as much to do with the change in comparative finances between Celtic and the bottom of the English Premier League, than any degradation of our former chief scout’s ability.
Virgil had played only 62 games in senior football when he signed for Celtic. We got him because we moved, showing incredible agility, before anyone else had the opportunity to act. We will not be able to exactly recreate the Virgil business – others see where and how exceptional value has been earned and copy, but this has always been the case.
What we can say for sure is that few clubs anywhere in the world have the success rate of Celtic at finding under-priced footballers and transforming them into Champions League players who are sold at multiples of five or ten times value.
NEW CQN PODCAST OUT NOW! CHRISTMAS JUMPERS FOR GOALPOSTS
Paul John Dykes and Kevin Graham are joined by Celtic authors, Stephen Sullivan and Stevie Murray for a special festive episode – Christmas Jumpers for Goal-Posts.
Stephen Sullivan is a former Celtic View reporter who wrote the much-lauded Sean Fallon biography, ‘Iron Man’. He is now the editor of FIFA.com.
Stevie Murray has now written two books on Celtic – ‘Ten Men Won The League’ and ‘Kenny of the Celtic’ – and he is a respected and authoritative voice on the club.
Treat yourself to a signed copy of Jim Craig – Right Back to 67 and you will receive a copy of That Season on Paradise signed by Bertie Auld, just order the Jim Craig book at CQNbookstore.co.uk and we’ll do the rest…
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Ya dancer
HAPPY HUNSKELPIN’ NEW YEAR to you,HEBCELT!!!
HH
Getting 7-9m for a player you are not even going to miss is pretty good business! Well done to all involved in Virgil’s recruitment and in negotiating the sell-on.
Hopefully some of the money can go on the players who are here and doing the business so they can stay a bit longer.
Good luck at Liverpool, Virgil.
A wee podium. First post for a while but have been a daily lurker :)
If the news is to be believed, we have done a fine piece of business with the VVD sale; so well done Pedro!
A victory against the died klub will round the year off nicely.
HH to all CQNrs over the festive period.
Onward&UpwardCSC
Wow, Is that the Dundee game finished?
Paul67,
Not too Roy Keane on yer Jibber jabber these days.
Thanks for the platform Howeeeeeeeeeevvvvvvvvaaaaaaaah.
The Lord is the Almighty.
The Lord can take away and give in an instant.
I’m mightily excited about what is coming through the CELTIC System.
A bit more Humblism would sit better with all the Celtic Crew.
I’m Free
Anyone else think that Kipre of Motherwell is a thug?
I know he is the one who done Jack but Isn’t he the one who went over the top on Dembele too?
Nice wee late Xmas pressie for the Bhoys. Hopefully every penny of it will be spent on the acquisition of a ball winning midfield player in the mould of Scott Brown or big Victor?
Wishful thinking CSC
Oglach,
Brendan is looking for a number 10.
Tom Rogic has so much, but jut disnae have it all.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmFFTkjs-O0I"Celtic
If only Lubomir was about @ this Time.
Tom is so close to World Class.
Lemsip has Aspartame within
Medicine is not mean’t to taste nice.
FFS
Wakey Wakey UP
When things are Injected with a Poison……
Paul,
Should also give credit to Neil McGuinness, who it seems did much of the scouting work on Virgil. Good article on the BBC website (NOT BBC Scotland!).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40730793
If Brendan reckons Mikey is ready, Who am I to argue. He needs to fill out a bit, IMO.
The news about Anthony is MASSIVE. He is a Fighter first and foremost. not a bad player 2.
I’ve jibber jabbered with Aidan that Anthony will be even better than KT.
CELTIC STYLE.
Great news about Anthony Ralston, hopefully Griff will be next to get 4 years, imagine the boost that would give him.
HT – from previous article.
“Who are these people?” Sound familiar?
I do not know anyone on the committee. Why should I?
I would have to pay membership to join, I would then have to pay further monies because I don’t have shares.
Already there is division there between haves and have nots.
I then sign off my voice to a committee. I can at least read who they are online if that answers your question.
As a normal Celtic supporter, where can I read your constitution? What’s that? I can’t, I have to become a member first.
Do you see where i’m going here?
Brought up in a country where secret societies have acted like a cancer upon society- and continue to do so – I am uncomfortable with joining wee societies or trusts.
“the Trust accepts and supports the Social Mission statement of Celtic set out in its Charter”
It appears that the Celtic Social Mission statement is not enough for some. This is where my `uber’ statement comes from. Most fans would accept the Social Mission statement at face value but the Trust demand more. Why? Who asked you to? A show of hands at a meeting from how many Trust members? Is that truly representative of the wider Celtic support?
Whilst the above is my own personal opinion on Trusts/committees I do believe there is a place to question the board but on a wider forum where there is room for shareholders and non-shareholders alike.
On charity – I welcome what the trust has done but that holds true for other supporters groups also.
HT, the above is not a slur on the Trust, just my own thoughts on why I cannot support it’s objectives as committees can be self serving.
I welcome your thoughts and those of other supporters regarding the Trust.
Excellenty, now the bhoys can uprgrade from business class to first class on the flight to Dubai and join the directors ohhhh and maybe room upgrades for everyone
Fantastic bit of business maybe Moussa will want to stay now
A bit of Karma, Jack getting done last night
Very good money for a player who left 2 years ago but i dont understand the lets get it spent asap mentality.
We have a new centre back and ajer is looking the business. To many players simply stall the process these kids can make.
If i had my way i would be punting a number of squad players with a view making more room for our younger players and only purchasing if the players in mind is clearly better than starting 11 player.
Only positions i have real wish to see improving is gk. If we can get a quality goalkeeper in who can move the ball about with comfort and can command his area i would be very happy.
HH
OneMalloy
Aye mate got it.
Usain Bolt?…..I thought J going after the taxi was more like a lioness spotting a wildebeest.
In fact the Lisbon Lioness would make a good moniker :-)
BMCUWP
That awkward moment when you either pull the hoose apart looking for the Long Johns yer wife has “hidden” or braving the elements with a smile on yer face :-)
mickbhoy1888,
Noone can criticise Celtic with the Moussa Dembele situation.
He Owned Ibrokes.
Fantasticque…….
I remember Neil and Roy Owning that place.
Moussa done it by himself, Legend.
He will speak so very well of Celtic as he goes through his career.
The Main stand does need improvements.
AoW
I asked you to provide an example to support your ridiculous and unsubstantiated claim that members of the Trust are ‘uber Celts’.
I’m still waiting.
To also claim that the Trust is in any way secretive, whilst posting an extract from the Trust mission statement, is lamentable.
I’m not sure where this has come from but it certainly appears that your pathetic rant is more to do with your opinion of committees in general than any actual knowledge of the Trust, its members or the work we do.
To all the tims i have experienced Celtic with,whether it be here ,at a game,or in Lisbon,these are historic times
god bless you all and best wishes for 2018.
Hail Hail to all
stephbhoy,
Kris is likely to be even better than Virgil.
His defensive play is remarkable.
He is reading the game superbly well.
Coming from Norway, and the RD effect……I reckon we might get 7 years out of this LEGEND in the making.
AoW
Ps
” I would then have to pay further monies because I don’t have shares.”
——
Absolute nonsense.
As Sevco supporters realise that their entire first team is worth less than a VVD sell-on…..
CElTIC Awesome
DESSYBHOY
Leigh Griffiths is already under contract until 2021.
HT- Absolute nonsense? You sure, this from your own Trust website –
“Trust members who are not existing shareholders in Celtic Plc will pay an additional membership fee upon joining the Trust. This fee will be used, along with other available funds, as determined by the Committee, to purchase shares in Celtic Plc. These shares will be held in the name of the Trust, collectively on behalf of all members of the Trust.”
`Pathetic rant` – getting personal now. Nuff said.
BSR
I did not know that thank you.
Oui, Si, Ya Beauty
MONUMENTAL
LOVE is the LAW.
Brendan has wee Jamesie rocking.
Brendan has the CELTIC SUPPORT Singing all around the HOLY Ground.
Oui, Si, Oh ya fecking Dancer.
Record the game Saturday.
AoW
I’m not a shareholder and have never been asked to pay anything other than my annual dues.
You made this personal when you put ‘HT’ in your initial post. If you hadn’t done that I’d probably never have seen your post as I’m rarely on CQN these days.
Quite simply if you think that Celtic Plc never, ever make mistakes then you’re perfectly entitled to believe that there’s no place for the Trust. My own belief is that the Celtic board do a great deal of good work, however, they’re not perfect and they need to be held to account by ordinary Celtic supporters on occasion. For that reason the Trust exists.
I’m off now so enjoy your day.
Teuchter ár lá on 28th December 2017 12:15 pm
Wow, Is that the Dundee game finished?
——————
;))
The classic ‘could have played all day and not scored’ match. Looks like we did…on day 2 v Dundee.
Stephbhoy I concur GK should be a priority Craig has peaked imo,still decent but needs replacing. H H Hebcelt
When the wee guy was playing for Dumbarton, he played against the younger Celtic side @ Barrrowfield.
It was so very telling when a Lady cut across and on to the pitch…… The Groundsman went radio rental @ her for for walking on the pitch.
The best pitch Aidan ever played on. Respect the Barrowfield groundsman.
RESPECT CELTIC
Football the way it should be played.
Who wants it?
Who wants a Rewind?
Drum n Bass Rudi Vata, Junglism to some.
An Incredible Rewind
£12m coming to us for Van Dijk. I’d invest a little of that in a fans’ café beside the Superstore.
Notlettingitgocsc
My friends in Celtic,
Yes Craig Gordon makes mistakes; what keeper doesn’t ? We are all aware that he has had to adapt to playing the ball out. However we have just gone 69 domestic games undefeated. No mean feat for a goalkeeper.
While I understand the train of thought that we need to improve this position, I also fear that we will not realise just how good Craig has been, until he has gone.
HH