Celtic have a strategic problem. The great Neil Lennon European campaign of 2019 is slipping from our coefficient status, and we have done little of note since. Neil’s team are the only Celtic side to win a European group, finishing above Lazio, Rennes and Cluj. Four wins, a draw and defeat in a dead rubber in Romania required some breathtaking performances.
If we are to continue at the Continent’s top table, we need to get back to winning games in Europe. This is remarkably difficult in the Champions League, although Neil and Gordon Strachan had a formula. Thier teams defended, played to their strengths and gave us some of the most memorable Celtic games in the last 50 years.
Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou changed all that. Pragmatism was sacrificed for purity as record heavy defeats arrived in droves. It remains to be seen what learning has been achieved.
The threats and opportunities within this afternoon’s pots are not evenly distributed. We could get Manchester City or Feyenoord from Pot 1, Inter or Porto from Pot 2, Milan or Red Star from Pot 3. There are five current or previous European Champions in Pots 1 and 2, three in Pot 3 and we are the only one in Pot 4. Liverpool, Juventus and Ajax didn’t make the cut.
If it’s Feyenoord and Porto, fair enough, let’s see what we can do, but for me, the draw is all about Pot 3. That is where we are most likely to find a team with comparable resources and challenges, and therefore collect some points.
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Red herrings even…
Hail Hail
Are the bedwetters feeling less jeering yet?
Either the players involved or now telling lies or they or not. Either way, I suspect players are motivated by money and glamour. My instinct would be to think that this is what happened, and we see that with everyone from KT to Rocco Vata. The only examples of true Celts that I can think of are: James McGrory, Danny McGrain, Paul McStay and Tommy Burns (some of the Lisbon Lions?) Feel free to add to this list, but they are a dying breed.
HH
CHAIRBHOY on 31ST AUGUST 2023 10:30 PM
“Our recruitment is fundamentally flawed, that’s what we are talking about, no shoal of red herons will change that.”
You were talking about Celtic being run by business people who know nothing about football.
5 trebles in 7 years isn’t a red herring. Its why we exist, not to make sure we dont miss out on John McGinn or an Ivan Toney.
You’ve got it back to front. Trophies are the metric of any football clubs success not their recruitment.
He spoke to his friend Roy Aitken on Scotland duty and asked him to inform Celtic that he wanted to return. Then on May 12, 1989, the Scotland international was unveiled as a Celtic player again with the club having agreed a £1.2m fee with Nantes.
Johnston said that day: “I didn’t want to leave Celtic then [in 1987] and I don’t intend to now.
“There was some rubbish about me wanting to join Manchester United but it never entered my head to play for any other club. In fact, there is no other British club I could play for apart from Celtic.”
CHAIRBHOY
How would you feel about a Celtic player who bet on his own team losing?
SCULLYBHOY @ 10:37 PM,
Totally agree on that.
My point was to do with the recruitment; policy, planning and implementation
Just glad Kyogo signed an extension and showed commitment
Night all. A good week so far. Sunday will be tough, but I feel a lot better about it than I did at the start of the week.
Off to my damp bed.
With hindsight would you still sign a player who would have been Playing for Celtic while betting our team losing?
Do you still feel we missed out on him?
CELTIC40ME @ 10:42 PM,
OK let’s go with you red herring
Which Celtic player betted on Celtic losing?
Hail Hail
CHAIRBHOY on 31ST AUGUST 2023 10:48 PM
Toney did it at Brentford, 13 times. Knowing that do you still think we should have signed him?
Chairbhoy
It may just be my view but you are coming across as a bit bitter / desperate tonight.
Scullybhoy
made me laugh
ps mind the hotwater bag
The Toney thing is a red herring. It doesnt matter about Toney or McGinn. 3 or 5 years ago, or 6 months ago. Loads of cheap projects or a few expensive ones. Good or bad transfer windows
Its all a means to an end, not an end in itself. Same as trading models, superior commercial activities,.
You celebrate the off field successes because it makes the on field ones more likely.
5 out of 7 trebles
“SIONNAIGH on 20TH AUGUST 2023 11:32 PM
The experienced quality players that can make all the difference will hold out til as near as the transfer window closes. Evaluation of options.That’s the nature of the business.
Panty wetting assimilated tims will just have to soil themselves a wee bit longer.
Love the smell of napalm in the morning.
Ave Ave”
Football is a Business to those who run Clubs, the best of Clubs make mistakes,
Of course those who run Celtic made mistakes, they have missed out on a few good ones and bought a few Turkeys, but they also brought in gems like Van Dijk, Jota, Johnston, Carter Vickers, Kyogo etc.
That has always been the case and always will be.
It’s a Blog and disagreement is the lifeblood of a Blog but I honestly think people constantly bringing up McGinn & Toney and ignoring the good deals are not being realistic, they might as well bring up Shay Givens,
The other point is that had we bought McGinn & Toney and they were big hits for us, we would at the most have got 2 seasons out of them, when a big team comes sniffing and big cheques are waved they are gone .
There are no Paul McStays any more.
I am not for a moment suggesting we should give our custodians an easy ride,
of course we should always be seeking progress both in facilities and the team on the pitch and we should be looking at things like getting a Fans Representative on the Board.
Trophy wise we are probably the most successful team in the World over the past 12 years , we are also on a sound Financial Footing, some may pour scorn on that point but it is a hugely important issue.
Anyhow I have a 7am start in the morning, so it’s a Goodnight & God Bless to all from me.
A wee correction wet Toney – he never bet on a game in which he was in the match day squad – and that is a fact unless you want to accuse the governing body of lying in their written judgement.
They concluded that if he had bet on games he played in, he would have faced charges of match fixing – which was not the case.
Stupid boy – most certainly – but not a match fixer. It is endemic in a game that has sold itself to betting sponsorship.
BT
will do mate.
HH
Mostly interesting read back; thanks
I was an angelic looking altar cherub at St Brigid: Father O’Connell was a cool dude who drove a green VW beetle. Intemperate Father Harty seemed to have a persistent altar wine-related problem…
Agree – our CL group is notionally favourable on paper; and we’re tooling up nicely w new recruits ;)
Laughed at BigWavy’s McCarthy/Muller rice comment.
TIM MALONE WILL TELL on 31ST AUGUST 2023 11:15 PM
I didnt say he did, he would have faced criminal charges if he had.
But using wages paid for by the fans to bet on your team mates losing would probably get you run out of town in Glasgow
Was a pleasant wee read back tonight.
I got called negative after praising the signings of Yang, Holm , Palma and adding much needed height in defense. Why? because I reiterated what Rodgers said he wanted in this window – physicality and experience.
Still hoping for an athletic LB since I’ve wetting my bed having recalls of Taylor and Bernabie imitating defenders.
Still hoping for a Center forward – I love Kyogo and Like Oh but feel we need to add a presence for cover and mixing up (see now for details)
Being hopeful, having opinions
I notice the earlier discussion about Ivan Toney bets on football, particularly on his team to lose.
I heard a clip of an interview with him last week where ( If I remember correctly) that he did NOT bet on his own team to lose.
He wanted to get the sentencing started quickly to include the close season, so pleaded guilty to all charges.
If he is not playing in a game , I really don’t have a problem with the bets.
The hypocrisy is astounding, an industry that is awash with betting sponsorships, hanging one player out to dry every so often.
Just a thought.
Dearie me.
Good morning all from another lovely morning in the Garngad.
Lets get another 1 or 2 in today.
But this scrambling about smacks of desperation Liewell moneyball in full flow.
We have spent about 23 million (estimate) of our 50 million budget.
Show me a manager that realy is happy with his squad and would refuse good quality players and I will show you a Liar.
Therefor it is down to our board not using our bidget to its potential and getting players in early.
Liewell and the rest of the board must go. As long as they are there we will never progress as a club.
Have a nice day yall
D :)
The other point is that had we bought McGinn & Toney and they were big hits for us, we would at the most have got 2 seasons out of them, when a big team comes sniffing and big cheques are waved they are gone .
There are no Paul McStays any more.
—–
That’s a two way street these days. Players want more money but the club also want to sell, the trading model would demand it.
It would be bad asset management to have a player as good as McStay stay with us for his career. Under the model, we’d have him sold as soon as we received a 25 million offer.
As things stand, Celtic are not close to securing a LB. They will remain active to see who may be available – that doesn’t mean they will panic-buy tomorrow, though. But, it’s #DeadlineDay and things can change very quickly
—-
Anthony Joseph’s update last night was not music to my ears. Let’s hope things do indeed change quickly today.
There are very few players in any team who put the team before their own career or paycheque and that’s normal, can’t understand why anyone would think that this is strange. There are always exceptions and I would like to add a few to the earlier list. Henkingofkings did not need to hang around for seven years, less glorious but true Celts wee Jamesie and captain marvellous Callum McGregor. Hammer the Huns on Sunday and we kick start our season. Hail Hail
Again, Larsson simply wouldn’t be here for 7 years under our current model. Very bad asset management allowing him to leave on a free transfer.
BURNLEY78 @ 10:55 PM,
Yes, I’m sure that is your view
When you see that UCL draw and think what the famous Glasgow Celtic could have done with quality signings in this transfer window
The lack of foresight and selfishness of this Board is ridiculous
We need a clean sweep and a total restructuring of the Board, Executive and Football Operations.
Hail Hail
This little guy could be worth a ount
https://fb.watch/mNe2aBt56v/
ount=punt
CELTIC40ME @ 10:53 PM,
Well that’s an impossible question isn’t it?
The only equivalence is saying if we had the chance to sign Toney today for the money Peterborough United wanted would I “sanction it”?
At the time we were looking to sign him my thoughts were, not only is he just what we need up front
He was also great in his own box defending set pieces
We needed a huge improvement up front
We needed to defend set pieces better
The new Chris Sutton if you will, so was really gutted when Exec screwed it up.
We are still in the same situation team wise, nineteen corners at the weekend, no goals
Four sitters, no goals
That signing would be very tempting and I would have to rely on checking the facts
Interesting comments that he didn’t actually bet on his team to lose
So it would be a matter of getting a complete understanding of what went on
Personally I wouldn’t sign him now unless he was exonerated, that’s me though.
Hail Hail
An Dun
How much money do you reckon Larsson brought in by being here for 7 years.
Attendances, merch, prize money, advertising, sponsorship ?
When do you reckon we should have sold him and for how much ?
What do you reckon the difference would have been ?
BTW, I have no idea what the answer is there but very club needs a hero or 2 and not all would goo for Jota Money. Right now, we only have Kyogo IMO.
So Chairbhoy…kern to hear the type of quality signings you feel the famous Glasgow Celtic should have made this window with this £50M budget you have dreamed up?
Also interested to hear why Toney & McGinn’s non-arrival is suddenly the fault of the chairman, despite the players themselves explaining that they were not interested in signing due to our unwillingness to guarantee they would be picked every week…
fourstonecoppi on 1st September 2023 7:04 am
This little guy could be worth a ount
https://fb.watch/mNe2aBt56v/
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Nice one.
On a more serious note, a young George Connelly entertained the crowd by doing keepy uppees, and he was one of the best Celts ever.
https://acsom.net/paul-john-dykes-with-a-celtic-state-of-mind-the-night-george-connelly-became-the-king-of-keepie-uppies/
My friends in Celtic,
Just look at the results last night ( And the night before ).
Scottish football trashed and humiliated.
Outside Scotland our league is regarded as very poor. That is why we Need to make our mark in Europe.
To an increased gallery it is the only show in town and BR will recognise that.
His own standing rests with European progress.
Again look at our very poor Scottish results against largely mediocre opponents, then tell me convincingly why our world class training and development facilities are not producing a player that can claim a sustained domestic slot in the Celtic first team.
To reiterate, an honest conversation without sentiment must be forthcoming.
HH.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2rr6cEJVds