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?
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canamalar1
09:43 on 13 July, 2013
Ah, so we’re corrupt now……you seem to have an obssession with criticising our Board at every opportunity….. .?
Summi. Nae the grim ripper. Just stating the blooming obvious
As lennons passion lists the number of players needed, how can Neil get them with no funds
Auldheid,
I doubt they’d walk away without a profit, I’m going nowhere, I’ve been a Celtic supporter since before DD thought he could make a killing from MY club and I’ll be a Celtic supporter lom
NG after he’s gone.
Marrakesh Express 09:45 on 13 July, 2013
“Of course we’ll win at least a double but what does that prove?”
That Celtic are successful at the level we compete at.
Celtic supporter long after he’s gone, even
.
Canamalar..
Agree Re; Stokes this season..and l Never have been a Big Fan..Seen some great signs the end of Last Season..
Summa
Steinreignedsupreme
The days of the glamour pre-season friendly are gone. In the past it was often the first chance to see new signings, now it’s just a moneymaker.
I have no problem with us playing and being beaten in pre-season games. I haven’t been to a pre-season game since Everton a good few years ago.
My concern is that NL has given the players the “it’s not a big game” get out of jail card. This happened too often last season around CL games.
Let’s not rush to judgement until the real games start. My worry is the number of injuries we seem to have before a competitive ball is kicked and the limitations that imposes on the manager. The first part of the season will be a real slog – but it is so important to us.
67…,
It’s all down to degrees of responsibility, no ?
The shareholders on the board decided a while ago not to press on obvious malpractice in the games governance, in my book that makes them complicit, in your book it might no, that’s for you to wrestle with your conscience and address your cognitive dissonance, for me it’s black and white, you either condone corruption or you don’t, nothing grey about it.
You need to laugh at all the nay sayers on here……4 friendly defeats does not make a season.
Every season you get the we need this…we need that group and every season CFC finds the players (cheap)…..develops the players……..sells the players (expensively).
No one had heard of Wanyama and Hooper before they arrived?????
By default we will probably not know the next two stars to be sold either until we get a run in the CL from them.
If attendances are falling and it takes XYZ amount of revenue to break even then we must sell players or pay more at the turnstiles and buy more merchandise to make up the short fall..
Simples says the meerkat…….
Summa..,
I said about 2/3 through las season I thought I’d seen a change in his attitude, I put it all down to baby Stokesy, the mhan has recognised his mortality and IMO made the correct decision, he wants to be a Celtic legend, I hope :o)
Italiabhoy
to call a team who were in the top German lg last season ‘ a bunch of nobodys’ is to rate them as a pub team. I meant what I said last night…both Union and Greuther would win the Spl.
Thats not a massive slur on us, its just that German football is very high standard..no pub teams or nobodys, until you get down to the Brauhaus league of course!
Hh
Allgreen 09:52 on 13 July, 2013
“The days of the glamour pre-season friendly are gone. In the past it was often the first chance to see new signings, now it’s just a moneymaker.
I have no problem with us playing and being beaten in pre-season games. I haven’t been to a pre-season game since Everton a good few years ago.”
That is pretty much where I stand on pre-season. Some people appear to get unduly stressed about the same issue every summer, like it has never happened before.
Tabloid hysteria has a surprising influence on some of our fans. That depresses me more than the results of these games.
I understand Scott Brown played last night – yet people on here were saying we had no midfielders available after selling Wanyama.
Presumably some folk, who don’t have any real problems to concern them in life, like to let off a bit of steam about Celtic.
I’ll judge the team in real matches. After the two legs against Cliftonville we’ll have a better idea of where Celtic are.
.
Canamalar..
His Attitude is what l was talking about..Not the wee huffy Bhoy any more..Did not know he had a Kid always a good Leveller..
Being on the Bench for a While and Injury can Spurn some players on..See Henrik..
If only Stokesy Could get to His greatness..
Summa
Interesting to see the french Centre Back may now not be getting a deal from Celtic based on what I saw the other night in the 6-2 game that makes sense to me the ex Wolves defender did not look the part at all.Neil says he would like to bring another two players in but it is unlikely before wednesdays CL game.I think the two games with Cliftonville will be close affairs as we are not looking to clever at the moment and I cannot see us risking Hooper we have to hope that one or two injured players recover in time for Wednesdays first match.H.H.
Lennys comments after the match last nite are worrying and depressing.. Club have spent all last week getting Wanyama deal done and now Hooper is going. Lets be honest 90% of us knew these two players were going anyway so why has Lawell and him not be spending all pre season trying to get players in the door to replace them.
We have we spent the week getting humped on the pitch by teams who were in their own pre season aswel dont forget.. These teams will be of similar quality to who we will meet in the next two round of qualifiers if we get past cliftonville but we have players out injured so surely we should be actively trying to bring in players asap.
Again most of us know what types of players we need in, we have plenty of money to spend so instead of messing about as per usual why cant we spend whats so obviously needed to get the players in straight away to give them time to settle in.
These qualifiers are a big worry for me. If we dont get to champions league it will be an absolute disaster for the club. Players will lose interest before the season even begins as will fans and thats the last thing we need.
Wednesday night is the biggest game of cliftonville players lives, they will be 100 per cent up for this, and having watched them last season a few times they are a decent wee side with 2 prolific strikers liam boyce and joe gormley. They will be ready for this I pray to god we are too. Fed up with these sleepless nights worrying about it!
Joe Filippis Haircut 10:11 on 13 July, 2013
Expect to see Moukoulo departing.
Greendreamz,
What are you talking about ?
The finances have never been healthier thanks to our manager, we don’t need to sell anyone and we don’t need to buy basement bargains, the support are paying for everything as we always have, sponsorships and media deals are insignificant sweeties to boost performance related bonuses that’s all.
We on here have made it clear many times, if they drop the season book price the uptake will more than cover any prospective shortfall, they should have done it three years ago but thought they could squeeze a bit more and failed, this year they are making out its a gift rather than a necessity, I expect next year their greed will require them to try and squeeze a wee bit more again and again the support will let them know through the uptake.
Joe Filippis Haircut
Why did was Gershon released? He looked like a solid committed defender. I dont recall him making any huge blunders . I thought he was a usful squad man. But what do I know?
Watched the game last night. We passed the ball better than in the last game. Union were well organised defensively and limited us to a few long diets nice efforts that didn’t trouble the goalie. We had no penetration whatsoever. It is very difficult to see where the goals will come from. If we are considering selling Gary just now, PL should wake up, apologise and offer him a dramatically increased contract.
Tom Rogic is looking very good but he needs some support. He drives forward but has very little around him for us to maintain momentum when attacking. Our central defence was exposed once again by the cross into the 6 yard box.
Neil should actually apologise to the fans who went to support the team. The players embarrassed those fans. Using these games in the way that Neil does is wrong on so many levels. Jock Stein would never have done this.
What happened to the ‘For we only know that there’s going to be a show and the Glasgow Celtic will be there.’
Where the hell have Celtic been on this tour?
Didn’t see last night’s game but having seen the other matches my concern seems to be lack of organisation, guile and vision in the team. Sometimes we can do without “projects” in the team, we need experienced players who can come right in and do the job, after all we have the youth teams to complete projects. Also why does NL like WGS play so many players out of position? when we need an electrician we get a plumber.
McDowellCelt 10:13 on 13 July, 2013
Don’t hang on to every word our manager gives in interviews.
These things are just low level PR guff and a chore to every football manager.
SidneyTim
You do not actually know NL has no funds do you?
Its an opinion is it not? Any way you can back it up?
How can long range possibly come up as ‘diets nice’? Flaming iPad.
Auldheid. Neil has said it himself before.
It seems to me that our coaching team are more motivators rather than tacticians.
The original sadies bhoy
Just how much would it take to entice Hooper to stay?
What would the effect of a huge wage hike be on the rest of the squad?
Is it only about wage for Hooper or does he simply fancy changing job?
My point is there are a number of factors influencing a player that take control completely away from clubs, all clubs, not just Celtic.
canamalar1
09:57 on 13 July, 2013
If oldco hadn’t been liquidated, deed, gone, I would TOTALLY agree with you on complicity … In fact, I would have been raging / vocal in my condemnation……
However, our Board, being experienced busineesmen knew that oldco were heading to Hell and, if we had started shouting from the rafters, it would have been used by the LL to fuel a frenzy of financial support from the hoardes, which may have allowed them to actually ‘survive’….”don’t disturb the enemy when they are destroying themselves”
As a Celtic supporter (fanatic) for 56 years, my 3 ‘dreams’ were to..
WIN THE EUROPEAN CUP……..
EXPERIENCE THE DEMISE OF THE CORRUPT / HATEFUL / BIGOTED ‘SCOTLAND’S SHAME’……..
ENJOY MY (CELTIC SUPPORTING) LIFE…..
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED WITH DIGNITY, HONESTY AND INTEGRITY FROM OUR BOARD, IN VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES (because they still hate us with a vengeance, and the RESISTANCE continues …..the future is bright, the future is Green & White …..HH
auldheid
10:25 on 13 July, 2013
The original sadies bhoy
Could be wrong, but I think Gary’s mind was elsewhere for most of last season …!!??
Sidney Tim
Things change, so what was said a day ago even is no indicator of now.
Summa….,
If he outshines Sammi this season that’ll do for me, next season he can work on Henke’s trail
steinreignedsupreme
10:20 on 13 July, 2013
Correct ….. even with Vic’s transfer, the LL majored on the negative asects ….. Good for a laugh
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy 10:19 on 13 July, 2013
“Neil should actually apologise to the fans who went to support the team.”
Come off it. No one is forced to go and watch these games. It’s a matter of choice.
I’d guess any Celtic fans who did go to the game are not looking for any apology. They probably had a good time in Berlin and weren’t expecting the team to produce a Champions League level of performance.
It’s a day out or a couple of days away for some Bhoys. No more than that.
Auldheid maybe Neil should keep quiet about it
Stating that they had all worked hard to get vic oot the door and then stating he has not spoken to PL about budget does indeed fill a lot of fans with dread :(
Gordy
Sorry was out visiting. Hardly a nap in such a competitive race but I’ll be backing My Propeller in the 3 30. I like the form of his listed race win at Ayr. 10/1 seems generous. Tackling the colts today, which probably explains the 10/1 but I’m not put off by that.
For me playing football is as much about confidence as it is about skill.Winning games breeds confidence our run of 5 defeats in a row must have knocked our players confidence.We come home from Germany with plenty of injuries and in my opinion we are low on confidence just look at the body language of some of our players.So was this tour of Germany a success ? I think the only thing we have learned from it is we are not as good a team as we thought we were and our manager still has a lot to learn but we Celtic fans need to give the Bhoys all the support we can.H.H.
If Hooper is to go then I’d take a serious look at Adam Le Fondre at Reading.
Maintained a good scoring record during his progression through the lower leagues, used largely as a substitute in the EPL last season where he impressed immensely, I could hardly understand his continued substitute status. The right age where he might be looking for his last chance at high profile (CL) football.
Gordy
If someone out there has both our mail addresses drop me a mail so I can keep in touch.