It always stings a bit when we lose a good one, and there appears to be universal agreement that Victor Wanyama is a good one, but there are compensations. We lost him for the asking price (a club and Scottish record) and lost him early enough in the transfer window for the cash to be put to good use. Technical note, £12.5m and freeing up a very small wage will not provide £12.5m for transfers plus wages for either a £12.5m player or a collection of players at that value. It will free up a lesser transfer budget and provide a higher wage budget.
Victor goes with our best wishes. He joins a club who signed Celtic fringe player (I’m being generous), Jos Hooiveld, two years ago, and who also employ former Celtic misfit, Danny Fox. It’s not a sexy move but Victor will be as well compensated as Celtic by England’s bling. There could be claims about the move being about football, but it’s about the money, honey; not that there’s a problem with that, Victor didn’t pack his bags in Nairobi hoping to end his days in Glasgow.
He only became a first choice player after Beram Kayal was injured so comprehensively by Elbows McCulloch and played less than 30 games and was a first team choice for less than a year before declining a contract extension for a substantial wage increase (several times the wages he was on). This, when he had almost three years left on his existing deal. There’s a lesson there for future negotiations.
If you are feeling less than happy about this development, I could suggest a reason or two. Back in the 70s and 80s Macari, Hay, Dalglish, Nicholas and McClair were sold for competitive fees but the Cavalry of reinforcements didn’t arrive. Instead Celtic hoped a new generation of youths would fill the gap. Those of us from that generation were condition by the experience.
Things worked differently when Jock Brown was in charge (aye, you read right). Within a few months we lost the league for the ninth consecutive season and sold the Three Amigos for a substantial amount of money. In August 1997 I was distraught but 10 months later the penny dropped. The challenge now for Peter Lawwell, Neil Lennon and the Celtic scouts is to outperform Jock and Wim………….
Easy, right?
[calameo code=0003901713852289beccb lang=en page=30 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,262 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 34
- »
Saviola’s nickname is ‘El Conejo’ – the rabbit.
Not to be mixed up with ‘El Cojone’.
I remember the day we sold Wayne Biggins back south of the border to Stoke City.
Nine appearances in the Hoops and no (zero) goals.
What a c̶o̶o̶ coup that was CSC
El Conejo is 1.689235783444452m tall [approx]
The ole Dont’y stadiometer does not shrink to fit inferior players.
Tony Cascarino played 109 games for Nancy, and scored 44 goals.
Ooh Err Missus CSC
Tallybhoy,
That will be an unusual problem for us then, will there be a Celtic shirt big enough to fit him ?
Marrakesh Express
11:23
Thanks for your reply. Engineering is one of the roles he is very keen to get into. I’ll ask P67 to oblige and send you the CV as requested as soon as Paul gets back to me.
Thanks again.
Wee Saviola’s old pal from the River Plate days, Andrés D’Alessandro, is urging his current club, Inter (Porto Alegre), to snap up the wee man. Negotiations are said to be under way already.
This is the word on the calle.
I am 4′ 25 1/2″
Stein. Think you find that Ajax have the right balance. They do indeed look to their youth and buying local projects. But they always mix that with the odd marquee player to help those players. They do indeed have a balance of investment of youth and projects and that extra wee thing that brings extra income
We focus only on the 1st 2 items but miss out on most years on the income and most important the payback to the fans
Would not be averse to Saviola joining us.
Was phenomenal as a teenager, being named South American Player of the Year in 1999 aged 18. Leading scorer in the 2001 under 20 World Cup, which Argentina won.
Had a fairly difficult time over the last few years, but he is ‘only’ 31 and has a wealth of experience.
Not an out and out goalscorer, but a ratio of a goal every 2 and a half games is not too shabby. Employed in a Lubo type role perhaps?
Would he want to come to Scotland ‘tho?
HH!!
SydneyTim 13:51 on 12 July, 2013
“Think you find that Ajax have the right balance. They do indeed look to their youth and buying local projects. But they always mix that with the odd marquee player to help those players. They do indeed have a balance of investment of youth and projects and that extra wee thing that brings extra income
“We focus only on the 1st 2 items but miss out on most years on the income and most important the payback to the fans”
It’s early days for us though. Remember Ajax have been doing this for over 30 years. Our system is by no means perfect, but I think we are doing more good than harm.
C1ST- is D’alessandro on the Tobermory ferry?
I hear Celtic are preparing to offer Saviola Bobo Balde’s old shirt, as an incentive to join.
It’s the xxxlargest they could find which could accomodate his 2.22 metre tall frame.
HH!!
I reckon if he watched the barca game last season and as he said its not about the money, he’d give us serious consideration, more to the point would our exec show any flexibility in the wage structure ?
It might not be about the money for him but I expect he’d still want a fair wedge.
canamalar1,
Thanks for the endorsement.
Vic followed Celtic’s recruitment plan to the letter.
He played fair with Celtic and Celtic played fair with him.
He followed the path that Mo Bangura set out for himself. Unfortunately, Mo fell at the first hurdle.
I agree with you that jibes about ” going for the money” are cheap shots.
Stein sir. We are doing what a lot of average clubs are doing in Europe. If we indeed start the Ajax way then things might change
We are not doing That at the moment
If we do then it would indeed be the right way
But we are not
Saviola has just been interviewed on Scorchio telly and told Pedro Scorchio that he’s always had a wee soft spot for the hoops,ever since he saw Sutty skelp the currants…………………………………………
Make it Happen Big Peter!
Sydney Tim,
the challenge re ‘Marquee players’ is this…..
Any footballer, who has an offer from an english club, will go there. They pay big money. Really big money. So, if england is an option, then Celtic isn’t.
We have tried, and failed, with ‘ex-marquee’ players. Kean, Kean and Ljunberg.
There may be someone of quality, out of contract, who wants one last tilt at the CL.
But they will be few and far between.
If you want a stick to beat Celtic with – and you do – then our record at developing and progressing our own young talent is not delivering value for money.
Most other things, we are doing quite well.
Sydney
Give it time. It’s still early days.
Andres D’Alessandro?
I was at school with a ghuy called Andy D’Alessandro way back in the late 60s/early 70s.
Came from Ardrossan if I remember correctly.
HH!!
weeron 14:03 on 12 July, 2013
And Gravesen.
In 1977 when Debbie Harry posters started appearing on bedroom walls.
She was 32 years old
who’d have thunk it
Saviola will want a decent wedge, decent weather and not to have to schlep up to Dingwall in December.
Inter are also weighing up Nilmar as an option. Nilmar is the old Neymar.
He was a hit at Villarreal but left for the cash in the Middle East when Villarreal were relegated in 2012. He went to Al Rayyan. Their asking price is rumoured to be €7 million.
Stein our policy changed in 2003. Still waiting
Weeron. Teams in holland France Belgium attract the odd player who has the extra wee thing. And pay them that We don’t as we have a policy not to do that. Nothing to do with not attracting them. Just our policy
TTT,
The first time you posted your thoughts on Vic I thought you were bang on the money, he has shown nothing but respect for us, even better, I believe him when he says he’d like to return to the hoops in the future, I also believe it won’t be about the money then either. Hopefully he will have made his money by then and return with the sole intent of becoming a legend in his late 20’s, we are allowed to dream innit
Hail Hail
Mo may have fallen ‘at the first hurdle’ but if I kno Mo he’ll bounce back.
garcia lorca
13:23 on
12 July, 2013
Greetings from a very warm, overcast and humid Granada.
Nothing would ever be the same again. Within a few short years I was standing on the pitch in Lisbon watching his pal, big Billy, lift the European Cup.
—————–
I recall one night you telling of your trip to Lisbon.
I meant to ask, have you seen yourself on the pitch in any of the captured images or the film reel ?
The pic going round from DJBEE at Final Whistle is just wonderful.
South of Tunis,
You heard anything about a formal offer from Celtic to Atalanta for Matteo Ardemagni ?
thomthethim
Aye, but the Southampton deal ‘stalled’, till the money was right of course.
Inter may have some cash to splash if the bold Leandro Damião, who is an exceptionally nice man, finally leaves for Europe. Talk is Napoli will buy him with the cash for Cavani.
bsr,
True but we don’t know what money caused the stall, it could have as easily been the sell on % as the agents demands and I doubt we’ll ever find out.
Obviously disappointed that we have lost big Vic. My biggest concern is that we can easily win the SPL without investing another penny in the squad. We will understand the club’s appetite for Champions League progression by the way the money is spent. I think we desperately need an established, creative midfielder but won’t be holding my breath.
Understand Vic’s desire to play in the EPL. Southampton were a strange choice but it must be really tough for our top players to turn down this kind of opportunity. There are some poor fixtures in the EPL but there are also some great stadiums to play in.
Since the demise of our Glasgow rivals, the only thing we have to get really excited about is European competition. Hooper understands that as well and will move on when he gets the chance. I pray this situation will change in the coming years and we have league competition to force the club to invest in the team.
Saviola ?
No thanks
Sydney Tim,
Celtic have a strategy. It is probably the best one under the circumstances.
In the case of Victor, I think we found ourself a very special player. He had a strategy. It meshed well with ours.
The key is, how do we progress from here? I would hope it is not by throwing away the strategy we have. Keeping Sammi and Ledley, and even Stokes might be on the cards. That will cost money.
Not as sexy as paying a transfer fee for a new player, but important nonetheless. And not cheap.
St Stivs
Nice one! Result… :-)
MWD
I hope the ole Cellick Strategy is meant to last for more than one season.
…apparently……..
…………………Oweny’s granny has just sanctioned La Deal for the boul’ Sav…….
Done, Dunked ‘n’ Dusted………..
Peter?