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.
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Shamelessly stolen
Good evening friends.
All suitably and appropriately excited for the show tonight? Me, I’m still recovering from a weekend sore throat and so might not be my usual harmonious self during the 90 minute sing song.
——
ernie lynch on 1st February 2017 2:07 pm
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 1ST FEBRUARY 2017 2:01 PM
‘Elected democratically.’
##
By a minority of those who voted.
——
Comrade Ernie…..
Things Must Appear Pretty Bleak For The Marxists And SJWs…
Doon The Croydon Courgette Collective….
And It Will Only Get Worse For You… :-)
As The SUPREME LEADER Drains The Big Huge Swamp….
And With His Dear Friend,Vladimir….
Guides The World Into A New Era Of Peace & Prosperity.
So You Think The Hildebeast Won The Popular Vote….?
Really….?
Totally Delusional !
When A Congressional Investigation Of The Widespread Voting Fraud Has Been Concluded…
Particularly In Detroit And California…
The DONALD Will Be Shown To Have Won The Popular Vote…..
By A WIDE Margin….
And A Fair Few Folk Will Find Themselves Picking Up Soap In The Penitentiary..
Care For A Small Wager ….?
—————
Is the game on TV tonight, I’m stuck down in Reading.
At least one of the leads on the bus can get to another game with my ticket:-)
Or do I need a sausage?
Doc – I’m afraid that BT SPort have gone with the Diets v the Full Fats from Tynecastle.
Doc
Porkers for us tonight buddy.
MWD
Doc
Nope.. the top 2 for past few seasons will not be on tv.. 2 recently promoted teams instead.
Joke of a decision .
So, anyone got a sausage?
If so text me, message me on FB, if you would be so kind.
Of for a bite to eat, then to watch our record breakers break sheep hearts, again.
Do you get sheep sausages?
ERnie Lynch
My problem is that I have forgotten more than you will ever know, I have no desire to be politically, gramaticly, or anything correct, I also set no truck on trying to be smart or snyde unlike your good self, your trolling and attempts at point scoring are quite pathetic, but as long as it makes you feel better carry on.
A couple of things, I am not a Trump supporter, nor a Trump apologist, I was and am in the lesser of two evils camp.
As for the elections, as well you know take New York or Calafornia out of the equation, he won convincingly , it’s states like these that there is a need for the electoral college, the system has worked fine for many moons, but as soon as it isny what you want you come on to a blog and bleat and stamp your feet and scweem and scweem the house down.
Don’t know who keeps going on about democracies and rules etc. Etc. Etc.
But I am not aware of any country that has a democracy!
Every country has a fixed version of a so cold democracy were they claim to be democratic.
Joe blogs like me do not have a say in that and do live by the fixed rules even though they are bollocks!
Putting over some sort of argument that it’s all perfect because we all know the rules and that they are fixed to be non-democratic and that is some holier than though reason not to put over an opposing view with regards then on democratic fixed rules is just the type of muppetry that affords the kind of democracies we live in to continue.
MWD
Proudbhoy, they couldn’t not show the most historically corrupt team in the universe could they?!?!?!??!??
That could bring the game into disrepute!
To be fair, BT Sports is miles ahead in terms of coverage than any other pie in the sky channel.
Or the British lot.
Oh, and thanks for any responses to the sausage question in advance.
♫
Oh the wee h**s and the big h**s are…………………… s888e
♫
Oh the wee h**s and the big h**s are…………………… s888e
Any way. It’s hoops time.
I hope Brendan is a bit less disappointed/ less unhappy/ less saddened etc. after superbly getting his point across and marking the cards of those who are useless at their jobs at the weeken to orchestrate another fine victory for the bhoys.
MWD
aberdeen got 2 giant centre backs.night for CIFTI.????????
ps. giants but not very good.
Season ticket holders who would like to attend the Scottish Cup Final in May if we get there would be doing themselves a massive favour making sure they purchase a ticket for the forthcoming tie against Inverness, apparently.
Willie Wallace will be attending that game and will make a wee visit to the CQN corner if anyone wants anything signed etc pop round.
Doc
I get my porkers via the kodi butcher so canny provide a sausage skin for you.
MWD
We have sooooo many players out tonight, will McInnes go for it ?
Not a cats chance I’m hell, he will wait until they’re goosed, then fling everything at it.
BR will of course be aware of this. I forsee the adapted logical song ringing round Paradise.
HH.
Doc
Sausages: you have to be a VIP in a box, and its MY thingy P2P sort of thing, if that makes sense,
HH
Doors to automatic….
Doc
Download kodi android app and Wookie build to your laptop.
It’s simples.
https://www.kodiappdownload.com/kodi-for-pc-download-windows-mac/
Then
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vQdfPwF9YSg
MWD
MWD@6.28
Spot on.
Voting gets you nothing, zilch.
We dont matter.
There is no democracy, its a figment of an overactive imagination, or in other words LIES.
Dismantle the state:)
HH
THE EXILED TIM on 1ST FEBRUARY 2017 6:25 PM
‘My problem is that I have forgotten more than you will ever know’
###
Well yes, that’s immediately apparent from your posts.
——-
‘As for the elections, as well you know take New York or Calafornia out of the equation, he won convincingly’
###
And if you discounted everyone who didn’t vote for him, he won unanimously.
—————–
‘the system has worked fine for many moons, but as soon as it isny what you want you come on to a blog and bleat and stamp your feet and scweem and scweem the house down.’
###
I believe there have been five occasions when the president lost the popular vote, so to say that it has worked fine for many moons is simply wrong. And by pointing out to those, like yourself, who claim that Trump has a democratic mandate for his actions that they are wrong is a perfectly rational and reasonable response.
—-
Embra Mike- you’re on..
https://twitter.com/clydessb/status/826864275369164800
You are at it again Ernie.
I never said Trump has a mandate to do anything, now the fact he has been elected as the president gives him the mandate is by the by, but I have never said it.
Your problem is you tend to pick a piece from a post that you think you can rip to bits, this works fine at times, but when you pick a bit that is 100% wrong, your blog cred takes a massive nosedive.
Must do better Ernie.
TET
Ignore Ernie pal, he is a plant…
Get over to live updates pal
Just watching the wee “Fan Montage” at the start of Sevco v Diets game on BT……….
……….Nope……….
……… there is still not one………
………. no, not one.
:)