Sky have reported that Celtic have accepted a £5m bid from QPR for Gary Hooper. Gary is in the final year of his contract and has declined to sign a new deal which has been no offer for almost a year now.
It will surprise some, perhaps including the player, that an English Premier League club have not made a move, but QPR have the cash to compete with most in the top flight, so the financial rewards for the player will be comparable.
For Celtic the proposition is simple, if the player is not going to extend his stay beyond this season, and an offer matching valuation is received, it is better they know where they stand as early in the transfer window as possible. We’ll know soon enough if the player wants to move. As we said about Victor, it’s always hard to lose a good one, but I’ve yet to meet someone who would walk away from a deal north of £50k per week, so fair play to Gary, whatever he decides.
Neil Lennon had never hid his admiration for the player but the Celtic strategy is clear enough. If Gary decides to move it’s all about finding the right replacement, they days of slavishly watching players run down their contracts are over.
Have you done your thing for 1254125 yet? The supporters group working with Celtic Charity proposed we get as many as possible signed up to running a 10k, hoping each person can raise £125. We’ve teamed up with The Great Scottish Run on Sunday 6 October and extended the scope a bit, to include those who don’t quite have the legs for 10k.
On Saturday 5 October, The Great Scottish Run also organise supporting events you can enter and raise your £125:
100m Toddler Dask (0-5 yrs)
1.5k Mini Run (5-8 yrs)
2.5k Junior Run (9-15 yrs)
Family Mile (Adults and children from 3 yrs)
If you are particularly fit, you can enter the Half Marathon on the Sunday. It is going to be a great family weekend. If you know a kid who is keen to participate and get involved in 1254125, let them know.
If the legs won’t support you for 10k, you can gingerly make your way along the Family Mile.
To sign up you need to register with The Great Scottish Run first. Register here if you are participating in the 10k or Half Marathon, and here if you are participating in the Saturday events, then register here with Celtic Charity (scroll down the page until you see Great Scottish Run).
Just over 10 weeks to go, get your application in and get every Celtic fan you know with a pair of trainers to sign up. I’m doing the 10k, so will be out running tonight…….
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….PFayr
21:03 on
24 July, 2013
djmccormack
Who do we have that can replace VW…
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Are you serious?
I’m not suggesting that VW isn’t a class player, or his presence won’t be missed on the pitch but his CONTRIBUTION to a game will be covered by any of our midfield players. They are all capable of doing what he does, some of them better in fact.
The one possible exception is his goal threat. This aspect of his play, will be missed. Nobody’s pissing themselves when they are told to mark Kayal at a corner.
jackie mac
I think Alan Brazil may have had a heavy night !
….PFayr
21:18 on
24 July, 2013
I’ve only seen the same 14 mins as you i.e. yesterday however I’m told from someone who is Portuguese that he is a very good player. However that comes with a caveat in that he’s a Benfica fane who got beat in ther cup final by a certain team playing …………….
SRS
Any idea why …
My thought….they are covering failure to qualify for the CL ….unfortunately in doing so they are handicapping our chances of qualification
As a club we have become obsessed with cash ……football seems to play second fiddle …
I was very impressed with Balde last night during his cameo appearance. He looked highly motivated, won every ball and showed a fair turn of pace. I saw him during a couple of the friendlies in Germany and the ball was bouncing off his shins and knees but with hindsight, he had just signed for us and I don’t imagine he had a lot of fitness. He has a lot of physical presence and I hope he goes on to have a lot of success with us and in time turn out to be another Victor.
It’s a game of poker we are playing now – with high stakes.
CL participation equals £23 m or thereabouts plus gate money and merchandising. Possibly in the region of £30 million in total if we reach the last 16.
EL participation would bring in around what? £8 m or so?
Bumped out of Europe in a El qualifier means we bring in zilch. Except of course the 20 million for Vic and Gary which is more or less in the bank already.
Isn’t it sensible to spend around 7 m at least to give us a better chance of at least securing EL football?
No European participation will see a ghost like atmosphere in CP for more or less the whole season. ( which will no doubt have the board looking to the green brigade to help liven things up:-)
Celtic are totally honest about how they intend to try and run the club. A major facet of the strategy is get some good years out of a player and if he shows a lack of willing to sign on for another few then sell at the right time for maximum profit. When this happens it simply lengthens the odds of ever ending up like sevco. That thought always cheers me up
notthebus
21:20 on
24 July, 2013
djmccormack
I think keeping our two best players until we are safely through to CL would definitely be worth the gamble of a few million. However I don’t agree we were put in a take it or leave it situation.
If Hoopers valuation peaked at £6m in January as were lead to believe, it would appear his value has only dropped £1m since then. I really don’t think a few more weeks would have any material difference on his worth, on the contrary.Historically serious business is done toward the end of the transfer window.
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very tough decision for PL. But when presented with that much money at one time, it’s my feeling that he could only lean one way.
If someone offered me a 25% bonus today based on my performance, or to wait it out a few more months/weeks and then take the % based on my performance at that time – I would have to take the option on the table now rather than risk my performance dropping and thus losing money. Sometimes its the devil you know………
Gene,
Heartfelt sympathy, with thoughts and prayers to both your brother and your families.
Anyone think young Rogic was signed in preparation of Vic leaving ?
And my view for £750k we should have signed Russell for replacing Hooper in SPL
Hail Hail
djmccormack
I disagree entirely …with the exception of Brown …the remainder of our centre midfielders are moderate …VW will be missed big time IMO
Balde…20 min cameo against a knackered part time outfit
Think ill wait a while longer before firming an opinion
djmccormack,
So what you just confirmed, is that the beautiful game is dead to Celtic as a football club, it’s over, the club now simply a money making machine, supporting the bank balance is the new ethos, well at least you cleared that up cheers
I was doing well lurking from the back row, minding my own business until I cracked open a fine Bottle of wolfblass and a few peroni’s but I’ve got to disagree with some of the comments tonight regarding our signing strategy…..
Don’t get me wrong, our policy and scouting systems have been exemplary in recent times, however I can’t see us picking up a champions league, 25 goal+, striker without coughing up a fair sum!
I appreciate the calibre of talent we have procured but my point is these guys are not STRIKERS.
Canamalar
So many seem to be obsessed with finances
….PFayr
I’m not trying to suggest he won’t be missed – but can you say that we wont win the league because we sold him?
As for our other players:
Ledley – much more consistent than VW. Rarely disappears from games.
Brown – agree. Last year was his best year. Looking forward to seeing him again this season
Kayal – at his best for us, was equal to VW. Haven’t seen that for a while, but its there…..
Commons – not his best position, but far more creative than VW (and more of a goal threat)
Mulgrew – more important to us than VW (corners, free kicks etc) in terms of our style of our play
Can we stop talking about some entirely irrelevant nothing of an event affecting none of us remotely. This is a Celtic blog ffs! Who the he’ll cares?
I’ve just noticed on Sky that Olympiakos have signed Saviola on a two year deal. My question answered but can’t help thinking we had a real chance of signing him if we were interested.
Big clubs must be obsessed by money. Otherwise the moaners moan that they are not making enough money! Remember Celtic also do immense amounts of charitywork.
….PFayr
21:29 on
24 July, 2013
mmmmmmmm….Never thought about it that way, you may have a point.
I’ll join you in the reserve list !
notthebus 21:09
Quote: ” a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush.”
Why would a ‘buying’ club take that risk? Agree to purchase but allow the player to take part in competitive games? Why would we as the ‘selling’ club take a similar risk?
Cast your mind back to last year (Mr. Z will confirm) – Celtic agreed a pre-contract deal with a player (can’t remember the lad’s name) in Poland. The boy suffered a serious injury (ruptured ligaments?) – we walked away from the deal.
Money rules football (particularly TV money) – when the deal is signed and the cheque clears the bank – time to move on and deal with the replacement.
We will get a replacement (of that I am sure) – however as to its quality that may well depend on results against the Swedes – it might even depend on whether we make the Group Stages………
and that’s not just to do with us spending money – our qualification (or not) will influence agents prepared to do a deal with us.
djmccormack
Our ideas re footballers are miles apart
I only hope Lenny doesn’t agree with you
Re the midfield , all of them in my opinion are average. Above average for the SPL. Below average for the CL. Equals – average.
The one I hope proves me wrong, and I’ve a feeling he may well do, is Rogic. Got a feeling there’s a real player in there.
Does that mean he’ll be punted for 10 million next summer?
Hello this is WEE BGFC. I was at the game on Tuesday (as usual) and from what I’ve seen is that Stokes and Hooper work together well because Stokes can score long range goal and curling goal and Hooper is great at poaching and scoring inside the six yard box. Don’t get me wrong Hooper can score some great long range goals as well but Stokes, well let’s just say he’s not so good at goals inside the box. :) :) :D
Gotta love coral….. Sheffield wed 1 The Rangers 0
….PFayr
21:31 on
24 July, 2013
Canamalar
So many seem to be obsessed with finances
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Certainly not obessed with finances – the point is however, when Celtic FC (a legitimate business with shareholders) are offered certain amounts of money there will only ever be one outcome, as sad as that may be.
Of course I would prefer that we retain our talent – how can you really progress without your best players?
But the reality is that is not how it works. We play in the SPL. We don’t need VW. We don’t need GH. These are the facts.
To win the SPL we don’t need VW. So that’s why he’s gone.
I would argue that we would need him in the CL. But that doesn’t matter when someone slaps £12.5m in front of you.
TnT.
I think that’s the very reason young Rogic was signed in January, some time to settle in, then kicking on. – hopefully
Hail Hail
….PFayr 21:24 on 24 July, 2013
There is a certain element of risk involved. It is a gamble.
With Hooper; he turned down the offer of a new deal and is effectively only six weeks away from being a free agent – even though he can’t officially hold talks with interested clubs until January.
I just think Celtic don’t want to risk losing him on a Bosman and would be happy to take £6m or more right now.
Wanyama also refused a new deal and I think Celtic believed the time was right to cash-in.
As I said, I would have preferred to have kept them both. But maybe Neil Lennon is confident we can qualify for the Champions League without both – and perhaps replacement have been identified.
We can only guess.
….pfayr,
It’s been engineered, ‘great job the board are doing’ might as well be saying ‘great job the royal family are doing’ for all the difference it makes to us, I fell in love with a club and team that played the beautiful game not the beautiful balance sheet.
djmccormack
Winning the SPL is a given ….we could win it with half the squad we have
No CL football ….poor season ahead
please sign the No. 8 from Sweden …
braw!
How many goals did the wonderful Russell score against us I wonder? As for Saviola: huge wages. The Greeks could outbid us anyway as they are a basketcase club probably drenching in debt.
The boy Rogic does look like a player, and that’s exactly why we signed him. I hope that with every signing we make the player’s “re-sale” value is considered. There is no-one at PH that thought VW’s re-sale would be as high as it turned out to be when they scouted him. He turned out well.
john o neil-a trademark smartarse comment from you
Q 1) Did he sign the new contract?
Q 2) Will he be a Celtic player this season?
SRS
Why not sell him in January …and get a replacement in at the start of this season…preparing us for the CL qualification
Also VW has been sold for weeks …no replacement …
Cowiebhoy
There just seems to be something about that lad that makes me think he’s a star of the future, but early days of course. I also think there is still untapped potential in the Japanese and Chinese markets.
I believe Hooper is far more important to us than Victor was.
There were times when I loved Victor`s strength and power but, overall, I don`t think he will be greatly missed. If/when Hooper goes, he will be greatly missed.
JJ
Guys, I stood in the ole jungle with my late bro in law, a brother of a Celtic great, and listened to all the experts around us who would have this player and that player. The biggest laugh we ever had had, were the comments when Big Jock signed Willie Wallace. There was an outcry in the jungle. So, all you experts are, of course welcome to your opinions, as the bhoys in the jungle were then, but why do we not trust our custodians to do the correct thing. The game is all about opinions, are we are all entitled to them. Remember, “We are Celtic Supporters faithful through and through”. This Board will take us as far as they can within our economic climate. Imho.
Weefra HH
Canamalar
I’m fed up with it ..
How fans can be happy with us selling our best players before the most important games if the season is beyond me
No debt last year ….yet some seem happy for us to make even more money …what for ??