The day has arrived, 31 August, on a Champions League season, but news has been slow (in general) or there has been no news (at Celtic) so far. Pity help those who were not busy this morning and have burned through a packed of antacids. Deadline day reveals human nature in all its glory.
Last night Ipswich Town agreed a deal to take Daryl Murphy, whom they had on loan last season and the final six months of the previous season. Daryl would have been keen to bring his Celtic uncertainty to an end (he is out of contract when this loan period at Ipswich expires) as he has clearly enjoyed more success in the English Championship.
We didn’t see the best of Daryl but it’s good news Celtic were prepared to release him. He would surely have been retained if there was not a good chance of recruiting a replacement. No promises, of course!
Stay tuned throughout the day. If we have another ‘Robbie Keane Day’ when the CQN server takes a battering I’ll update the Facebook page and Twitter.
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SFTB
did you not see the smiley mate ?
I do not think we will.
We will arrange to meet tonight 1.00 AM
Hail Hail
Striker on loan?
Hmmm…
A mate of a neighbour of a woman who walks the dog of the hairdresser of the wife of a guy that used to drink in the same pub as a guy who was the photographer at the wedding of a guy who goes to the games on the same supporters bus of a guy who used to work at the Audi dealership that provides cars to Celtic reckons we are definitely interested in bringing in one or two players
EL draw
GROUP A
Liverpool
Udinese
Young Boys
Anzhi
Group D
Bordeaux
Club Brugge
Newcastle
Maritimo
Group J
Tottenham
Panathinaikos
Lazio
Maribor
Kevjungle
Watched John Sutton last Sunday.. Only thing he has in common with Chris is his surname.. No thanks. He would be ( well) behind Tony Watt…IMO.
If we keep most of who we have and get rid of guys who are never going to contribute I’d be happy
Philvis
I seem to remember him admitting that in the past he’s phoned in to Clyde etc
Either that or it was the Rainbow version and he got George on the other end.
Kev J
“As long as your happy M8, that’s all that matters.”
Kev, I am very happy that Fraser Forster has not been replaced by Cammy Bell or Thomas Rogne by Andy Webster or Joe Ledley by John Rankin.
I can think of very few Celtic fans who would disagree with my preferences above, but there is one…. there is always one :-)
CQN on last day of transfer window reminds me of a comment I made describing the KDS forum a few years back.
It is not that common sense does not surface occasionally, its that it struggles to stay afloat.
There is an example in post by TBB last night that I would repeat were it not for being on mobile and difficulty finding it.
Baku/Black Isle Celt
12:49 on 31 August, 2012
_____________________________________________
So, let me get this right.
What your now saying is – Neil continually plays CM out of position ?
fat Adams gone to stoke ………………. PHEW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Estadio – Australia. (thumbsup)
Paul,
I must admit to being a wee bit disappointed that we haven’t shown more desire to strengthen. Latest tweet has Neil looking to bring in a striker on loan in the last few hours of the window…..
That being said, I don’t think I was alone in being taken aback by your Armagedon-esque comment from last night.
Are things that bad?
Estadio
Is it Cumnock?
Still nothing? Today’s turning out to be longer than the Champions League draw yesterday!
Philvis
Subtle hints like ‘Not the country’ didn’t find a happy landing there. My fault :-)
Hail Hail
Estadio
KevJungle,
No, I am saying that we are short at central defense and CM is good cover at various positions. Most, myself included, think he is best at left mid but also a decent center half.
MJM
hamiltontim
12:48 on
31 August, 2012
You may be mixing me up with Eurochamps 67 – who may well be a teacher – I am just married to one (a female teacher – just for clarity)
67ECW
HamiltonTim
We are same profession but I dont know what you are referring to as I have not directed any comments in anyone’s direction today, I think.
No problems anyway.
EC67
Celtic_First
Their might be a sartorial connection!!
Hail hail
Estadio
Estadio – Subtle hints like ‘Not the country’ didn’t find a happy landing there. My fault :-)
America? (thumbsup)
Andreas Granqvist or Cesare Bovo
Milan Badelj
Joaquin Boghassain/ Emile Heskey
Johnny Russell
Michale Owen (Marquee Signing)
setting free the bears
12:51 on 31 August, 2012
__________________________________________________
As I said previously
If everyone on here said the same thing then
what would be the point in CQN ?
One thing I won’t do is, take the easy way out and jump on the band wagon to curry favor with the mob.
So easy to do that.
Not looking for a ruck.
Only saying.
Hail hail
Ryan Babbel on a free as well
WGS
yer in dreamland
cheap options and loan deals
I thought I heard Neil say after the game on Wednesday that he had a couple of medicals lined up.
Did anybody else hear that?
Awe nAw
Sorry- missed the smiley
Apologies.
My reasons for believing we’ll get a defender is that we’ve traded out around 40 games worth of last season’s defenders with Big Dan and Glenda going. On top of that, Neil has shifted any tested cover in sending Josh Thompson and Lewis Toshney back out on loan.
Yes, we gained Lustig but he is more comfortable at RB and is relatively inexperienced as a CB. there is no-one in the reserves, not even Marcus Fraser, who is yet ready to have a breakthrough year.
Now, I am not betting that we will buy a CB, just feel that Neil has cleared some space for an extra defender as he knows that Rogne is unlikely to last the pace of 2 games per week and Big Vic may be gone in the next transfer window if his form keeps up.
I’ll be here till midnight anyway.
Have we got anybody in the bushes at Ross Hall?
Auldheid, since you asked… here you go:
Frightening Finances and other poor souls
23:43 on 30 August, 2012
On the finances:
Year 2010/11 represented arguably the poorest financial results for Celtic in a decade. Revenue of only £52.5M was swallowed up by operating costs of the same, while exceptional costs (contract terminations), amortisation and finance costs of £13M were balanced by the sales of McManus, Boruc, Fortune, Crosas and of course McGeady.
In essence, with no European football beyond a couple of ghastly qualifiers, we needed to sell £13M of talent to break even given the cost model that year.
2011/12 results will be published anytime soon, and will show I’m sure an increase in revenue to reflect the run in the Europa League, bringing £1.6M of UEFA money and 3 home Europa League gates adding perhaps a further £2M or so. Let’s say revenue £4M up on 2010/11 to £56M.
Compared with the big gains from player sales the previous year, in 2011/12 only Maloney was sold for significant money, plus whatever we got for Juarez and Hooiveld, and all else being equal, even with further cost cutting acoss the board, it’s predictable that the loss for the year will be somewhere north of £5M before surprises, with matching debt.
In essence, despite substantial reductions to costs year on year – £4M on wages alone last year – we have a business that needs some £60M revenue to break even, and Europa League and Domestic football doesn’t deliver that.
Were we to budget this season on the basis of last season’s financial results we’d be in some trouble, but Lenny’s success with this young team in European qualifying, coupled with the sale of Ki for £6M, presents an entirely different picture. (Ki’s sale is perhaps indicative of the size of last year’s deficit)
Even allowing for Paul’s suggestion that we have lost yet more season ticket holders this season (a cause for huge regret given the extraordinary circumstances of recent months in Scottish football), revenue for this coming year will be in the order of £70M if we come no better than 4th in the ECL group stage, and with the gain of almost £6M on Ki, Celtic for the time being is a profitable and cash positive club.
What we do with that cash is the issue.
Celtic’s problem is that we cannot plan for European income beyond this season. We will win the league this year, but given the Scottish coefficient in European football, whether we qualify for next season’ Champions League will not be known until the end of August again. Accordingly, there will be no big salary commitments over multiple years for Celtic signings, perhaps giving credence to the kind of short term outlay represented by the rumoured Del Piero signing.
My guess is that Lenny will be given half of what remains of this season’s surplus to buy players that fit the Celtic profile- young, talented, and less than £2M. He might get 3 that fit the bill if he’s very lucky. And he might be permitted to bring in a big salary for a short period of time – think Ljundberg, Keane and the likes. There will be though no increase in the wage bill that cannot be reversed in jig time should circumstances demand.
Buying young talent of course creates a hedge against future poor performance, as the value of young players increase in line with their professional development. A disaster on the field can be balanced in part by the sale of another Ki.
The remainder of this season’s surplus will be used to fill last year’s hole, and perhaps a couple of bob will be salted until Scottish football becomes a little less unstable.
Given everything we know, it’s a bit of no brainer to be honest.
TBB
iPaddy McCourt
Is that guy called geoff i think i know him.
PC67
bhoywithseethrougheyes
12:58 on 31 August, 2012
I thought I heard Neil say after the game on Wednesday that he had a couple of medicals lined up.
Did anybody else hear that?
____________________________________
Yes I heard that as well m8.
Let’s hope PL disny pull the rug.
Philvis
For some reason Steve Guppy came to mind….let me just remove this hook from my gums. :-)
Hail Hail
Estadio
bhoywithseethrougheyes
yes he did say there were 2 medicals lined up
The Spiral Staircase has just started on BBC2….programme information describes it as a film about……..
” a maniac who is killing off people with disabilities….”
Why did I think of Cam/Clegg and atos
Braga winger Helder Barbosa is in talks with Celtic…
Does anyone know how Paul George’s rehabilitation is coming along?
He will provide a terrific option in midfield when he’s fit again.
Swift recovery, young Paul.
Estadio – Brisbane. (thumbsup)
Eurochamps67
12:57 on
31 August, 2012
I think he is mixing us up ??
Lets hope he marks homework more accurately !!
67ECW
Bada Bing,
Is he not cup tied ?