You and I have been through a number of transfer windows in our day but none have been like January 2017. Tens of millions of pounds were on the table for Celtic, while incredible wage terms were dangled in front of agents, but Celtic declined to sell and the players knuckled down and got on with it.
That wasn’t always the case, Kelvin Wilson in particular, springs to mind, as does Stan Petrov. Moussa, Craig and Erik were all happy to get on with the job of setting records and picking up medals.
Celtic’s decision not to sell is easier to explain. Moussa Dembele has three and a half years remaining on his current deal, Celtic can afford to allow the player to mature and perhaps even appreciate in value.
The offer for Craig Gordon was significant for a 34-year-old keeper who was dropped earlier this season, but we’ve not been in the market for a goalkeeper and were not prepared to shop blind.
The project under Brendan has gone superbly well. We will earn circa £50m more than our nearest domestic challenger this season, a considerably pick-up on our position a year ago, so money isn’t an overbearing constraint on team development. This biggest challenge in that space is player recruitment.
To this end, last month saw the arrival of 19-year-old central midfielder, Eboue Kouassi (or Jules Christ Kouassi Eboue, to give him the most Sunday of all Sunday names).
I hear good things about Eboue, specifically that he’s first team-ready, but a note of caution. The outstandingly successful Victor Wanyama was also 19 when he arrived. Even though Victor only had to make the short cultural journey from Belgium to Scotland, it still took him six months to look like a player.
Eboue may trap sooner, but the lad only turned 19 in December and has a lot of change going on in his life right now. A settling in period will be needed.
We’ll talk more about Eboue’s recruitment later, but the key observation to make is that he’s played fewer games than most players we’ve paid that kind of money for, and he’s played most of his football in a Black Sea resort city.
Another of our teenage targets this month remained where he was after a different club had a €10m bid rejected – and he wasn’t valued by Celtic any differently than Eboue. Not only is transfer fee and wage inflation well established, the expectation is that significant inflation will continue for a while yet.
Inflationary expectations have real world consequences, such as Celtic (and smaller clubs) rejecting incredible offers for players they could not dream of getting a year ago. This scenario is very reminiscent of the period from the 1990s until the ITV Digital collapse in 2002.
Back then you could buy a flop and sell him at a profit and sell your successes at a huge mark-up. This market fuelled the bonfire Sir David Murray built under Rangers. The ITV Digital collapse deflated the market slightly, while the 2004 enlargement of the European Union kept prices suppressed for a while longer (a temporary effect).
Many clubs had to cut back for a while; most survived. Most, not all.
Lisbon Lions documentary
The BBC have commissioned a 60-minute documentary to mark the 50th anniversary of Lisbon. The plan is not to go over old ground, but to tell the fans’ story – which is where you come in.
I’ve me the director (known to these pages back in the day) and he’s asked if those of us who were around at the time to come forward and tell our stories. There are few times we are able to contribute to what will be a film of record, documenting the lives of people during a historic event.
If you or someone you know enjoys telling the Lisbon story, it’s time to tell it. This is from the company making the programme:
It’s 50 years since the greatest moment in Scottish football history and BBC / IMG are paying tribute – with a special 60 minute documentary to celebrate the all-conquering Celtic team of 1967.
This Lisbon Lions documentary will interweave fantastic archive, revealing interviews with key players, and pay tribute to the great Jock Stein.
But this is not Football Focus. It’s not all about tactics, results and refereeing decisions. We’re very keen to hear from fans who remember the game, the build-up, the journey and the atmosphere – both watching at home in Glasgow and in Lisbon.
It’s a social history, a chance to recall that amazing team, and the community that forged them, and what it meant to the city.
Stories, recollections and – dare I say it – old photos / footage from the attic – all welcome….please email us glasgow67@img.com and we’ll get back to you when we can.
The documentary will be broadcast on BBC Scotland later this year.
181 Comments- Pages:
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GG,
I’d prefer an unbeaten season and a world record winning run, its up to other clubs to help themselves if they can’t do it under their own steam then they don’t deserve it.
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 1ST FEBRUARY 2017 1:24 PM
Ajer, Christie and McCart out on loan getting games is good. Have high hopes for McCart from what I’ve seen.
*do you think that Jamie’s family connection to the club might be detrimental to his Celtic career, allegedly it was for Benny Rooney and why Kevin Gallacher said he never signed for us.
looks like Anthony Stokes has avoided jail time for the assault on the Elvis impersonator …. but is likely to now face an expensive civil suit ….
blantyretim
Ye olde Advertiser is no longer published though its’ sister paper still is. The local library has a good microfiche archive so that would be the first stop. The records are also part of the British Newspaper Archives, not sure yet where they are, London maybe? What was the date again?
MIKE IN TORONTO
Expensive Elvis jumpsuit?
mit
you watching pure.
Always looking to do our best
Keep the hard work going lhads
HH
Aff oot ti the gemm
Mon the Celts
HH
The guy did warn stokes. You can do anything but don’t step on my blue suede shoes.
TH …. you lost me on that one.
JC2 on 1ST FEBRUARY 2017 12:05 PM
Integrity ??
But Roddy Forsyth Last Night on Clyde superscoreboard and no doubt Gordon Daziell tonight
“5/6/7 million for Lewis Macleod possibility … Dembele 20 million not buying it” poo pooed any Bid
*The Bees sold one of their injury plagued players for allegedly 15m yesterday after only 33 games in 3 years, although he did amass 21 goals, to Villa who dumped ross mccormack and changed their mind on jordan Rhodes.
No not mcleodhino, who in 2 years at Griffin Park has only managed 14 games with zero goals, and has stepped down another mole hole and is now out until the end of this season.
He allegedly initially injured himself in his final game for sevco before being snapped up by the same management team that signed Hogan.
5 weeks after the transfer eat the bried, molly and mcparland were told they would be for the joe the toff at the end of the season, this after warby had won his 2nd consecutive manager of the month award and the club were still in play-off contention, which they eventually missed out on, he also had an impressive 52% winning percentage.
Coincidence? should be a stewards enquiry intae this transfer.
Although stokes will be glad it wasn’t a chorus of jailhouse rock he got from the judge.
TT-There’s no way Sevco paid £1.8 mil for Garner either,will be interesting to see Preston’s accounts at the end of the financial year….
allegedly……
Can’t believe there isn’t more being made about Sevco turning down that £6m offer from the Bundesliga “giants” for Barrie McKay.
Normally anything remotely Sevco-related is big news and a really good-news story like this showing what a well-run club they are to be able to turn down that sort of money? Strange……
!!BADA BING!!
He’s a half a mil a goal striker, proper way to do business:)))
Interesting…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4180216/Inside-story-January-transfers-didn-t-happen.html
!!Bada Bing!! on 1st February 2017 4:15 pm
Re last night’s post re the hotel,nothing concrete yet :0
——–
But there is some foundation in your story? :-)
Mags McGill,
Always had you down for a Daily Mail reader. :-))))
HH.
mit
cbc monday night.about mennonites in ontario and drug trafficking.
not a bad watch.
I wonder if BR has had this game in mind for a couple of weeks,Boyata to mark Rooney,and Gamboa to combat the pace of Hayes and McGinn ?
THE EXILED TIM on 1ST FEBRUARY 2017 3:27 PM
‘When I pointed out to Ernie that brit MP’s are no elected fairly, I was told that I was too think to converse with him.’
###
Your problem is that you don’t think long enough or hard enough.
In fact you are another of those merchants to whom this applies.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CyF83QuXUAA8Lpp.jpg
Westminster elections are run on a first past the post basis. The system has it advantages and its disadvantages.
The US Presidential electoral system is a confused mess, but one thing is clear. The electoral college system has its roots in slavery. And each time it has resulted in a President who lost the popular vote, it has been to the benefit of the Republicans. Go figure.
Trump did not win the popular vote in the US elections.
So when his supporters and apologists try to excuse or justify his actions by claiming he has a democratic mandate to do what he is doing, it’s only right and proper to point out the truth to them.
Budweiser 2017 Super Bowl Commercial | “Born The Hard Way”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtBZvl7dIu4
mit
should say its a made for tv series.
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 1ST FEBRUARY 2017 4:40 PM
!!Bada Bing!! on 1st February 2017 4:15 pm
Re last night’s post re the hotel,nothing concrete yet :0
——–
But there is some foundation in your story? :-)
It’s in the mix somewhere…..;]]
Ernie,
In a democracy should UKIP have political representation for millions of votes?
TH …. I had heard good things about it, but I didn’t actually see it. Will keep an eye out for it. thanks.
Tontine Tim
Hope not. Has looked a good prospect from what I have seen. A taste of first team football will give the club a better idea of where he is.
Mike in Toronto @ 4.19
Caught in a trap?
If they bring in ‘the soccer sin bin’ it’ll be full of the Hoops in jig time.
BSR ….
you have such a suspicious mind!
Interesting team selection dilemma for tonight, I anticipate only 2 possible changes. Gamboa might get the nod to combat the pace of Hayes or Lustig to counter the height in the Aberdeen side. I’m not sure if Brendan will deploy Roberts through the middle, Moussa isn’t 100% so I can’t see him starting and it may just be too soon for Aitchison.
MIKE IN TORONTO on 1ST FEBRUARY 2017 4:19 PM
looks like Anthony Stokes has avoided jail time for the assault on the Elvis impersonator …. but is likely to now face an expensive civil suit ….
I’m sure Peter Lawwell could lend him one of his expensive suits:-))
Alex Ferguson again goes up in my estimation.
Respect to a former adversary and of course ex England manager.
HH. And my own respect for those who will make the effort tonight. COYBIG
Not had time to scroll back and apologies if already posted : http://www.johnjamessite.com has a stunning article re alleged malfeasance over in G51. I know that some on here disregard anything he writes but if half of what he claims is true it is explosive.
Setting off to CP hoping the winning run continues against a good Aberdeen team. HH
THETIMREAPER
The likelihood is there will be no changes tonight. We’ll probably start with Roberts through the middle, not because he was that great there on Saturday but because Sinclair is a lot more effective coming off the left wing. I would like to see Aitchison start but don’t think he will.
MIT
The guy was all shook up :0)))
He’s lucky he didn’t get a custodial sentence as he has previous for this kinda thing, he also ragdolled another tribute act last May