Two players arrived during this transfer window: Rami Gershon and Tom Rogic, with no first team players leaving the club. I don’t know what Neil has planned for Rami but his loan deal and stats at Standard Liege suggests he is here as cover. I expect to see as much of him as we saw of Pawel Brozek last season.
20-year-old Tom Rogic is different. He joins the club on the same runway as Victor Wanyama, Beram Kayal, Adam Matthews, Mikael Lustig and Emilio Izaguirre. I’ve refused to watch his YouTube clips but there is every reason to hope he will be as successful a recruit as our other recent acquisitions of a similar profile.
I’ve been banging on about Asset Management for years. The mantra being – they all have their price and if any club fails to grasp this reality they will underachieve. Against this backdrop, Gary Hooper will either sign a new contract in the coming weeks or there is a good chance he will leave for nothing when his contract expires in June 2014.
A fundamental problem prevented a deal being done for Gary last month. His value to Celtic, not necessarily in this season’s Champions League, but in the same tournament’s qualifiers in July and August, is far greater than his value to any suitor. In other words, his value as an asset is not measured by transfer fee alone. This squad should have enough to reach the Champions League group stages next season, worth the best part of £20m to Celtic. Any deals have to be measured against this target.
The kind of transfer decision Celtic made yesterday, a profitable club holding onto a player and at the risk of losing him leaving for free, is so much healthier than the scenario we previously faced, in an arms race with a rival who was prepared to spend money they could not afford in order to beat us. What a mistake that whole ‘Old Firm’ thing was. Glad to see the back of it.
The ‘big clubs’ in England didn’t come looking for Gary. Instead, a well-run club made several attempts to acquire a good player on a price appropriate for their income. No harm in that, you have to give Norwich the respect any yokel deserves trying to hook up with a beauty queen (nothing implied about people from Norwich, or Gary as a queen!).
There is no guarantee the same club will be playing top-flight football when he becomes available, or that a club with a greater income, or with a more flamboyant approach to spending, will move for him, so there is every chance that Gary and his new agent will figure out that an extra year on his Celtic contract for a hefty wage rise is a decent option.
There is an interesting side plot to the Hooper non-transfer. Victor Wanyama is sitting on an offer of a substantial wage increase to extend his contract from 2015 to 2016. Unless someone comes in with an offer greater than his value to Celtic in Champions League campaigns he’ll be here until 2015.
Chances of both players signing new contracts in the coming months has to be a wee bit higher today. All those meaningless scripts about Celtic being a selling club floating around various places will have to be shelved for another time. We are a selling club, but only at the right price and the right time, just as it should be.
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an hour without CQN makes a Saturday afternoon shift draaaaaag
whit happened
JINKS1888 Geo @bimmerbhoy
Rangers announce they are still in the Scottish Cup, as it was the holding company beaten at Tannadice today
Fat Sally has a cup record that would get 4 hun manager’s
the sack……….very happy lumped on utd at 19/20 last night.
From Hateley’s article yesterday in what passes for a national newspaper. The Orcs were slavering over it and urging it be pinned on the dressing-room wall:
“Then Rangers will walk out into the middle of it all without a supporter in sight. That’s when we’ll learn what this lot are all about. They’d better bring their A game and realise the time for playing around at being Rangers players is well and truly over.
Kids like Barrie McKay and Kyle Hutton will have to perform like men. It’s part of the growing up process and this is their time.
Back in my day you learned your trade playing against big, brutal halfwits who would kick you up and down the pitch in the reserves. These boys are getting a similar education in the Third Division.
So they should look upon Tannadice almost like it’s a first-team debut. They’ve got to roll the sleeves up and earn their shirts. They have to prove they belong out there.
Being a Rangers player is more than just an ego trip.
It’s a responsibility. It’s a constant test of nerve and endeavour. It’s about making sure standards that have been set down the years are not allowed to slip, no matter how challenging the times.
Tannadice presents this lot with the ultimate test of character. If these players have pride in themselves and in their club they will know already defeat is simply not an option.”
Et maintenant?
Willie Miller @DonWillieMiller
“Rangers will be favourites to win every match they play… in the league and cups this season. As they should be.” © Mark Hateley
how good was that ,,well and truly horsed
Dundee United broke the blog ….
Heid scores with the heid for Wigan, btw (and in the opposition net as well!)
Over to Donegal now for a wee treble….Terrors, Ireland and ?.
For those asking earlier about the former quiz show captain’s less than sparkling record in cup competitions, here it is in all of its … er glory:
Super Sally McMoist has “managed” in seven cup competitions in his career at Rangers and The Rangers, winning none.
His overall record is played 18, won 9, drew 3, lost 6
Malmo (H) 0 -1 L
Malmo (A) 1- 1 D
Malibor (A) 1 – 2 L
Malibor (H) 1-1 D
Falkirk (A) 2-3 L
Arbroath (A) 4 – 0 W
Dundee Utd (H) 0-2 L
Brechin (A) 2 – 1 W
East Fife (H) 4 – 0 W
Falkirk (A) 1-0 W
Falkirk (H) 3 – 0 W
Queen of the South (H) 2-2 D (and lost on pens)
Motherwell (H) 2-0 W
Forres Mechanics (A) 1-0 W
Inverness (H) 0-3 L
Alloa (H) 7-0 W
Elgin (H) 3-0 W
Dundee Utd (A) 3-0 L
Much use of; absolutely, disappointing and to be honest with you – guess who?
thomthethim – that Ireland second half put years on me.
If we can beat England next week and France both at Dublin in the next 2 matches, we should be Grand Slammers again.
Sally says he needs to see red card incidents again,then says Black’s was harsh…..
McCoist on Clyde now sounds utterly out of breath. Of course, he may have just run up a few flights of stairs, but he sounds very unfit
Only left my fat bum to go to the kitchen for beer and I’m 83 quid better off. Add to the 70 from the Inverness game and you have to take your hat off to Charles green.
Investing in The rangers really does pay dividends.
The blog disappeared to collect their winnings.
Lovin’ it.
Well done Jackie. Hammer throwers humped and deservedly so!
IanArcherCSC
Black a utter f..king disgrace.
Art of War
Other Michael on this afternoon. Message passed on though.
Just checked my Facebook page and took the opportunity to patronise some supporters of the Zombie club. Even though they are dear friends it still felt good. Should I go to Confession or just enjoy?
Slainte
Good to see wee Jackie puttin on the agony.
LennieDoneganCSC
Ally, he of the ultra quiet -but dignified- transfer window, has become a cup “specialist”.
Apologies to Billy Connolly
But here is FPLG’s song for tonight
Oh it’s closing time again they’re gonna leave me
I can see that far away look in their eyes
It’s time to drink up and put my gless doon
And time tae wipe the stoor fae aff the Pies.
HH
Well. That was fun! :-)
Well done Jackie!
That was the first The Rangers match I’ve ever tuned into and now I understand why Sky always have them on, that was fantastic entertainment, thoroughly enjoyed the whole 90 mins. In fact disappointed that there was no injury time to enjoy.
!!Bada Bing!!
15:43 on 2 February, 2013
Sally says he needs to see red card incidents again,then says Black’s was harsh…..
After the pelters Black got from the Hun panel on Sky, the FPLG is on a very shoogly nail with that wan!!
Popped into my local to watch the match … The sevco end of the bar was mobbed as one of them was getting wed today…. A zombie wedding no less.
Really enjoyed them getting pumped … And that wee rat faced zombie won’t forget his wedding day in a hurry
test
monteblanco
13:52 on
2 February, 2013
Just in the door so probably been mentioned but the 2 boycotts don’t seem to going well. 300 zombies boycotting the boycott. And the BBC boycott being breached by…….um…..the head of communications of Zombie FC.
A distinct breakdown in communications. Sort it out Charles, people won’t take you seriously!
*****
Yea, typical game of two halfs.
I only have a passing interest in Rugby, but if it cheers up the country a bit, then I’m happy enough.
I’m more concerned that someone may have passed the How to Beat Celtic dossier on to Raith Rovers!
Not happy with ref.,stopping game early to save Sevco further embarrassment ,had JR to score hatrick,where do I appeal this decision not to add on time,5 subs plus game stopped for Sevco injury,should have been minimum of 3 minutes added,cheating Bas.,
With Jose Mourinho rumoured to be leaving Real Madrid, I think sevco might make a move for John Lambie.
Sorry, last post was for petethebeat.
Alistair must have jinxed my i-pad
IS DUNDEE BURNING.
Can’t wait to hear Jabba’s assessment of events….
Wee Jackie post match interview ……….pure class,very professional
who know’s a Celtic manager in waiting.
Balhambhoy
Brother Norris obviously felt they had been punished enough.
The Boy Jinky 15:49 on 2 February, 2013 ……..And that wee rat faced zombie won’t forget his wedding day in a hurry.
……………………………………………………..
Its his poor bride you should be more concerned about jinky. She’s not going to look good coming down to breakfast wi a black eye.
Seems everyone made a few bob on the zombies today
fiver on United to win 17/20
tenner on united -1 11/5
fiver on united -2 6/1
kids will have it spent on a chinese before i get a chance to pick it up.