It remains a possibility that Atletico Madrid will lose today’s league decider against Barcelona and next week’s Champions League final against Real Madrid (vernacular: ‘do a Hearts), but I hope not. The fact that they have pushed the two most celebrated football clubs on the planet to the limit, across two tournaments, is already remarkable. Should they deliver on two fronts, it will be the most stunning achievement in European football in 47 years.
There was a healthy amount of bloodlust for the Uefa Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules to fine the life out of the likes of Manchester City and Paris St Germain, before banning them from Uefa competition. This was never the point.
What Uefa have done is bring Europe’s two most freely spending clubs into line. FFP will restrict City and PSG’s expenditure, transfer market activity and squad selection. This is a result.
It’s a pity we’re not at Celtic Park to lift the Scottish Cup today. *!*!
Enormous thanks to Tommy Gemmell and everyone who participated in the entertainment here yesterday. Tommy thoroughly enjoyed the banter and will be back on the blog below this article early this afternoon to catch up with the questions he didn’t have time for yesterday.
You can buy a signed copy of his new autobiography, which he can add a personalised message to, by ordering below:
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Guys,
For the record we bought Tony Watt.
HH.
MickTT candle lit this morning for your friend Wullie McCauley.may he rest in peace.
HH
THE EXILED TIM
11:55 on
19 May, 2014
Something similar happened with your account about a year or so ago. One evening I opened a link from you and the following morning I had sent an email to most of my address book on behalf of some firm or other. I was advised to change my password etc. I wish I had paid more attention now, but I’m not even able to say what the subject was now or the firm’s name. It looks like this glitch has attacked your computer and mine before.
Tony watt was a purchase from Airdrie, but he was purchased by the Youth Academy and graduated to the first team.
sydneytim
12:00 on 19 May, 2014
Was it somethIng they said ….!!!!!! ….? :)
SYDNEY TIM
Bit harsh,mate.
While I do understand the point you are making,those guys-and a lot more besides-have managed to live the dream that we all had.
That they didn’t become world-beaters shouldn’t detract from that.
SydneyTim
The tournament from 1989 that you mentioned earlier, apart from Portugal which nation blew us away with regards to producing stars of the future?
Maybes it’s about time we got a couple of foreign coaches in to assist at youth level.
Take the game last night for example, our boys were miles away from the Dutch boys in tech ability.
HH
Your welcome
I believe it costs well in excess of 1million a year to run our present youth academy
I always buy the paradise windfall ticket
Some reading for you mate, i hope it helps
http://www.celticfc.net/news/2039?item=2039
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/feb/09/celtic-finances-champions-league?CMP=twt_gu
YOUTH ACADEMY
Season 2011/12 was one of the most successful in the
history of Celtic’s Youth Academy, with the Club now
providing more than 30 international players for their
respective national teams.
The Under 19s played 22 matches, winning 18 of them,
with just 1 defeat. This lead to victory in the League, by
eight points from Hearts, with a comfortable success in
the SFA Youth Cup Final at Hampden at the end of April.
The Under 19 team was unfortunate not to progress
in its first outing in European football in the NextGen
series. Celtic’s group consisted of Barcelona, Marseille and
Manchester City where we finished with a very creditable
9 points and 3 wins. The Club will participate in this
prestigious tournament again in Season 2012/13.
The stated aim continues to be to produce players who
are capable of playing at the highest level in the UEFA
Champions League. Last season more young players made
the progression from the Academy to the first team,
including Marcus Fraser, Paul George, Filip Twardzik, Dylan
McGeouch and Tony Watt.
During season 2011/12 the Academy teams were split
into 3 age groups: the 17s-19s Professional Academy;
the 13s to 16s Intermediate Academy, and the 7s-12s
Junior Academy.
From season 2012/13the Professional Academy will
encompass the Under-20s to accommodate participation
in the new Scottish Premier League U23 competitive
match programme.
The partnership between Celtic FC and St Ninian’s High
School has now completed its 3rd year and has gone from
strength to strength, with our young players combining
football and education. Season 2012/13 will see over 40
players attend St Ninian’s from our Academy.
CELTIC DEVELOPMENT
The Club’s youth development programme continues to
benefit significantly from the commitment and hard work
of the staff, agents and customers of Celtic Pools. We are
grateful for their continuing support. Over 2 million lottery
chances were sold by them during the period from July
2011 to June 2012, with around £740,000 donated for the
purposes of youth development. Supporters from all over
the country won approximately £900,000 in prize money.
It is clear from this that the weekly Celtic Pool lottery
continues to perform better than most football club and
charitable lottery products in a challenging environment.
The Paradise Windfall match day lottery also continues to
be very popular, with prize money of over £2.75m having
been paid out to Celtic supporters at Celtic Park since the
Windfall began in 1995. The top prize of £15,000 is the
largest top cash prize in UK football.
TET
Email hacking is all to common, and will get worse due to the number of XP users (Microsoft no longer support XP)
For the most part, it’s computer generated and will only send out spam links.
Password change will get shot of it most times, but if it happens straight away after changing, I would stop using the address.
Aye bobby. But 40 years and all that money
Should we be trying something else ??
Richie #TeamOscarForever,
We also bought Charlie Mulgrew.
( Deemed him surplus to requirements, let him go then bought him back. )
HH.
SydneyTim
12:00 on
19 May, 2014
That comment says it all about you
Knowledge of fitba zero
Lion. Your lists of achievements at youth level do not result in producing 1st eleven players for the 1st team
My point an hour ago
Never mind the yoots.
What about the women team. We havent had a single player make the step up to the first team squad ever.
I believe I was a successful Celtic (that’s Celtic with a hard ‘C’) youth player. Benidorm, Ibiza, Kos. Loads of Irish bars and success rates. :-)
MWD says Aye
Great work last Sunday!
16,000 raised for charity on trophy day
By: Newsroom Staff on 19 May, 2014 11:32
ON trophy presentation day, Celtic FC Foundation hosted a charity badge day, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Celtic FC’s historical new era and redefined focus on our charitable pedigree.
This took place prior to the SPFL Champions’ encounter with Dundee United on Sunday, May 11.
Over 100 wonderful volunteers gave up their time to support the event and ensured that badges – illustrating the Celtic FC Foundation crest – were available at all turnstile areas on the day.
Thanks to their efforts and the phenomenal support from the Celtic Family, a magnificent total of around £16,000 was raised.
Almost 20 years on from the new focus on the club’s charitable arm – now known as Celtic FC Foundation – more than £7million has been raised and the charity continues to honour the charitable principles of our founding fathers, with an emphasis on the four key themes of improving Health, promoting Equality, encouraging Learning and tackling Poverty.
The net proceeds of the charity badge day will now directly support our efforts to challenge homelessness in the greater Glasgow area.
Tony Hamilton, CEO of Celtic FC Foundation, said: “Enormous thanks go to the thousands of supporters who backed this initiative to help the city’s homeless. And sincere thanks are also due to the 100 volunteers who gave up their time on such an important day for everyone at Celtic.
“We are also keen to look at homelessness outside of Glasgow and the proceeds from the auction of the trophy day’s players’ jerseys – marked with the Famine Memorial logo – will be spent on homelessness in Ireland.”
For supporters unable to purchase a badge on May 11, they will soon be available across all Celtic stores. Alternatively, you can email cfcfoundation@celticfc.co.uk
Thank you for your magnificent support.
How many youth players at chelsea, Arsenal Man city get a game? I’m sure they spend more than us.
SydneyTim
12:14 on
19 May, 2014
Im not surprised you missing the point, parts of you are missing
Greepinata
Carlos Mulgrew was a free transfer I think.
new article posted.
SYDNEY TIM
Dunno,mate. What we are doing certainly doesn’t seem to be working,given say the last three decades.
But as has been said,the new set-up needed time to prove itself.
There are more players now trying to punch through that ceiling than has recently been the case.
For me,persevere for another few years,fingers crossed it isnae a false dawn!
Green pinata,
Who did we buy Charlie from?
Tet,
Mark wotte is foreign.
My friends in Celtic,
David Marshall, another we deemed surplus to requirements and some are advocating we attempt to buy back.
Who makes these judgement calls ?
HH.
Geordie Munro,
We bought Charlie from Aberdeen for £150.000.
HH.
Lion. Just discussing our great success at youth level and how that has failed to be transformed into producing youngsters for our. 1st team. Your lack of evidence is surprising
Now you have no evidence you get personal
Mcbhoy. I said that there is also a lack of teams down south producing youth. But they can just use their tv money to make up for it
We can’t and must find another solution. Our youth policy is not working
Interesting discussion on the perceived failure/success (delete as appropriate) of our youth setup. For me, one of the issues is that it is much more difficult today to transition from the youth team into the first team. The reserves league used to be a way to get younger players playing with 1st team players and there was therefore a gradual introduction to the first team.
I agree also with PFAyr from earlier who pointed out that fans do not give new players much of a chance. This is apparently random – some players get a hard time from Day 1 while others are given a bit of lattitude.
Re an earlier discussion – I believe that Celtic have produced a reasonable amount of homegrown talent over the last 10 years e.g.
McGeady (exceptional talent)
Maloney (was as good as, maybe better than Aiden, but unlucky with injuries)
Marshall (now one of the most sought after keepers in England)
Forrest (would be a 10 million pound player if he wasn’t injury prone)
Kennedy (great potential)
Mulgrew (a Scotland International)
Crainey (has had a good career in England and I would love to see him return)
McManus (Scotland International)
Clubs do tend to have golden eras and I am not sure why people seem to want something to be angry about.
Good evening friends. Bathed in warm sunshine.