Hungarian champions Ferencvaros are seed and have home advantage tonight over Sweden’s Djurgardens for the right to face Celtic in next week’s Champions League qualification second round. Notwithstanding that, the Swedes are likely to be far more difficult opponents.
Djurgardens are 16 games into their season, whereas Ferencvaros have played only one competitive game since June. Djurgardens also overcame stronger opposition to win their first Swedish title in 14 years than Ferencvaros faced in Hungary; there are no teams as good as Malmo in Hungary and I don’t think I have recovered from facing them five years ago tonight, so I hope home advantage favours the Hungarians.
Last night’s demolition of KR Reykjavik was far easier than I expected. Celtic looked sharp from the off, perhaps chastised by sitting on that draw at Kilmarnock for so long, and the wave of negative publicity that subsequently came the club’s way. KR were awful, worse than any Scottish lower-league team I can remember facing. Though like Hamilton, they still made chances….
Still, you can only beat the team in front of you and Neil Lennon’s men did the necessary. If Dundee United manager, Micky Mellon, was watching, he may have asked for a tractor to plough Tannadice ahead of our game there on Saturday.
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!!BADA BING!! on 19TH AUGUST 2020 1:52 PM
🎼when the letters don’t stick……and you look like a prick…..that’s Castore. 🎼
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Genuine lol at this ! Superb !
Rogic to Qatar team,£4 million
all very quiet on incoming transfers…
HH
I was told months ago that Rogic was wanting to leave, just don’t understand why we would want him to go.
Happy Birthday, Big D !
St Tams- IMO, good money for TR ,who is constantly injured, he leaves as the man who scored the Invincible Treble winning goal, that launched a million drinks,and a million tears,I wish him all the best.
Lennybhoy mentioned earlier on in the window to not be surprised if TR was sold, we’ll prob use the cash for Turnbull ❓
I firmly believe that if we had just bought a new winger who played like James Forrest di last night, not a single poster would be criticising him.Indeed, we would all feel we had landed a fine player.
Scott Brown. Did any of those criticising him listen to John Hartson during the commentary?
`Just give it to Broony,` he said often enough. ` He is always in position to receive the ball and keep it moving.`
Ntcham looked classy when he came on but that doesn`t mean Broonie was poor.
If the Swedes win tonight do we play them at a neutral venue? If so, why?
Leeds in for Kent.
£10m.
Lol.
Some absolute nonsense typed about Jamsie.
Boy had a very good game last night. C
No Bobby
The link between Kent and Leeds is well known and nothing to do with football.
Leeds castle is in Kent – that’s it
“My general point is that James has delivered for us big time but yet is a bit of a scapegoat with many, yet Paddy who has delivered nothing anywhere in past 3 years is still fondly remembered.”
Despite missing an open goal in THAT semi-final..!
An Tearmann
Happy Hoopy Birthday big mhan. Hope you have a grand day.
HH
Rogic off to Qatar for £4 million.
Devastated.
The Hootsmon comes up with some belters.Leeds in 10 million bid for Kent.Leeds tried to sign him TWICE BEFORE.
Real story,they offered Liverpool 3 million.Liverpool refused,Leeds walked away.Now after a season,they are back with a 10 million bid.Must have been his outstanding form last year.
Deary me.
Big Dan today, Lennybhoy yesterday and my girlfriend`s on Monday. A very classt triumvirate of birthdays this week.
Cheerio for now.
Turkeybhoy
leeds have pots of cash now they are in the EPL. Whole different market.
the huns would still be on a long payback deal with Liverpool and have 10m up front from Leeds.
Bit like a cheap or interest free loan
On Rogic
would be sad to see him go but £4m for us, Tom gets a big pay day in Qatar to take him past 30 and then go back to Oz to retire and play keepie uppie on the beach
7 years with us, some cracking goals and hunskelping. Pretty good for us and for him
I suspect we would then buy Turnbull
Where’s the Tom Rogic story coming from
they only came into the game when Scott brown came off
CONEYBHOY,
So you actually believe the Kent story?
WDH
I thought that, too.
Big Tam Rogic.
Lovely feet, fantastic footballer, scorer of incredible goals. Just lacked stamina and pace.
I’ll miss the boy, Hunskelper Extraordinaire.
I’d take a ploughed field over a plastic pitch anyday
THE COVID CONUNDRUM
It would appear that all the talk of a “quick vaccine” for this blight, have all but faded away – don’t think anyone but the Russians believe Putin, and then only under duress.
So what would a season with no crowds in Celtic Park do, and where could we be next year?
In June 2019 we returned a profit of £11.3 before taxation on total revenue of £83.4m. This included fees received for Dembele and Sviatchenko, and fees & compensation for Julien, Connell, Elhamed, Bolingoli, Taylor, Alofobi, and Frimpong & O’Connor.
Our stated year-end cash funding, i.e. cash in the bank, to end of June 2019, was £38.9m, adjusted for debt & debt-like items.
These results included 29 home games in all competitions.
In my opinion there will be no return to mass crowds at football matches during this season. Outbreaks of the virus are appearing everywhere now as activity resumes, & probably the second-wave is not too far away.
PROJECTED FINANCIAL RESULTS 2019/20
We lost five homes games due to Covid restrictions & of course gate share and prize money for the Scottish Cup – so let’s assume a loss of around £2.5m on those match-day sales (incl refunds of STs, for those who claimed).
Total Revenue to June 2020 £80.9m
Profit on Player Trading (incl KT) £18m
Operating Expenses £90m
PROFIT BEFORE TAX £9.9m
Bank balance would probably be largely unaffected at £38.9 , after tax, dividends & other payments.
MATCH DAY INCOME 2020/2021 (based on 2019/2020)
SPFL
Nineteen home games without catering, hospitality and ‘on the day sales’, will see a substantial fall in revenue, probably in the order of £500k per game – amounting to £9.5 million.
BETFRED CUP
Two home games – probably £1m.
SCOTTISH CUP
No home games.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFING & EUROPA LEAGUE
CL – One home game against Cluj – £2.5M
EL – Four games v Lazio, Rennes, Cluj & Copenhagen – £10m
So assuming we do at least as well this season as last in Europe, our total loss of match-day revenue in 2020/2021, domestically & in Europe could be around £23m.
So let’s put together a non-scientific analysis of what might be our position at the end of June 2021 taking into account of all of the above.
PROJECTED FINANCIAL RESULTS 2020/2021
Total Revenue to June 2021 £70m (incl new Adidas deal & merchandising)
Operating Expenses £80m
Loss on Player Trading(to date) £12m
LOSS BEFORE TAX £22m
Of course from a starting position of £38.9 in the bank, we will survive, even if it reduces to £16.9 million allowing for the above loss.
Champions League qualification could wipe out any loss and return a profit.
The other alternative to maintaining our strong financial position, if we fail to make it to the CL Groups, is selling one, maybe two players.
We still have some room to sign one, or, two this pre-season, however it would weaken our projected position.
Outlook Season 2021/2022
Another season of no crowds would put our future, and every other club in Scotland in grave doubt. It would put the future of the professional game in Scotland in grave doubt. How many would be lining up to buy another VST?
Summary
This is such an important season for our club. I am sure we will not get everything we want from incoming transfers. We must be prepared to accept that one, or two, of our top players may leave. Is ten in a row the be all and end all this year? The fans certainly think so; however the officers and guardians of Celtic may feel that long-term survival is the overriding issue at this moment in time.
One consolation – no accounts from Ibrox, so working in the dark really, but their figures must be horrendous. Is stopping the ten worth putting their new club out of business?…….answers on a postcard to…………
David Turnbull would cost Celtic six times the price we paid for Tom Rogic.
Turkeybhoy
no idea if any rumour is true but wouldn’t put it past them if they were after him before. I hope it isn’t as i think he is average and i’d rather they didn’t get any cashflow
I heard John Hartson’s comments about our captain and winced a wee bit each time because distribution has never been our captain’s forte. Ntcham is far superior in that department. Our captain has other strengths which we badly need to find in someone else. Maybe a hard as nails CB might provide a start. Leadership is an altogether different gift.
HOT SMOKED
If the Swedes win tonight do we play them at a neutral venue? If so, why?
We were drawn at home in the QR2 draw and the fixture is on the UEFA website for CP on Wed 26th @ 7:45 awaiting opponent
Majestic Hartson…just reading back not sure if anyone replied to you apparently Leigh had a “calf strain”.Going to the Italian Caffe next Tuesday. It better be good or I will hold you responsible.
THE HAND OF GOD
Crab risotto :O)
Good evening CQN from a lovely and sunny Garngad
Big Jimmy from previous thread – I am staying away from the pubs just now Jimmy, I know I’m a woose. Just being cautious but we will certainly meet up again in the future if you are still up for it. Thanks for the offer.
An Tearman – Happy Birthday🎂🍾🍻 you share with my 30 year old daughter. I hope you have a lovely day/night.
HH
D :)
Sad to see Rogic go. Amazing memories but clearly the 20/21 model is a far away from his prime, even at his age. Turnball seems like an Armstrong type clone but better technically and not a No. 10. As a worrier, that’s another bit of creativity out the door that needs replaced somehow and even more important that Ntcham stays and flourishes.
Rumours on another site that Duffy is a done deal….
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 19TH AUGUST 2020 4:10 PM
I heard John Hartson’s comments about our captain and winced a wee bit each time because distribution has never been our captain’s forte. Ntcham is far superior in that department. Our captain has other strengths which we badly need to find in someone else. Maybe a hard as nails CB might provide a start. Leadership is an altogether different gift.
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Spot on sir. Spot on.
Rogic story fact or fake
This comes after this site revealed last week that AC Milan are also keen on exploiting the striker’s desire to play for a leading European club after three goal-drenched years in Glasgow.
Marseille were previously linked with a £16million swoop for Morelos, while Lille discussed paying the Light Blues £17m for their prize asset.
Speaking in late July Lille president Gerard Lopez made it clear the Rangers forward was a key target and that discussions took place.
NAE kiddin .Football insider by WAYNE SOMEBODYNEVERHEARDOFHIM.
I could make up pish like that.Emdy know how i get started.??????????????
EMBRAMIKE on 19TH AUGUST 2020 4:31 PM
HOT SMOKED
If the Swedes win tonight do we play them at a neutral venue? If so, why?
We were drawn at home in the QR2 draw and the fixture is on the UEFA website for CP on Wed 26th @ 7:45 awaiting opponent
=≠===========
Sweden is not on UK exempt list so Swedes would have to isolate for 14 days unless they were exempted by Scottish government as elite sportsmen. Maybe aye, maybe no.
Aren’t professional footballers exempt from quarantine ?
Gene- from McGowan in The Mail,fairly reliable