Last year it was the Ange Homecoming Tour to Sydney. In the summer, we are off to Ange’s more recent home, Japan, as well as Korea. Stuck in a small league with a TV deal that is predicated on the value of a handful of games, we need to look for new markets.
I know there has been some scepticism at the club that there will be sustainable commercial value in Japan. As we know well, players can go as quick as they came, which makes it precarious to plan Asian tours on having a local interest to sell. Still, we have a responsibility to try.
Kyogo, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, Tomoki Iwata all featured in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final. Yuki Kobayashi was on the bench and is set to play in our remaining six fixtures this season, including the Cup Final. While Celtic still hold the registration of Yosuke Ideguchi, he is on loan in his homeland and is unlikely to return to Glasgow. That’s five players from Japan with successful narratives about Celtic to Japanese consumers, players and agents. Japan’s representation in next season’s Champions League will overwhelmingly come through Celtic.
Demographics are important. There are 125m people in Japan, 23 times more than Scotland, and on average, they have far more disposable income. Madrid, Munich and the EPL will always get most eyeballs there, but we are now in the conversation. A great deal of work has also been put into the commercial side, before we even reached this stage. We have travelled to Japan and business contacts have come to Celtic Park.
Penetration of the South Korea market is in gestation, by comparison. Hyeongyu Oh is only just in the door and there are no hard suggestions we will sign more of his compatriots. Still, it is another large (population 51m) and wealthy market.
The great migration of Scots to North America began to wind down 40 years ago, it is unlikely that market will contribute as much to the club going forward as it has since the onset of internet access and multi-channel TV. If there is nothing to be achieved in foreign markets, fair enough, but as I said, we have to try.
Road to Seville
It’s just three days until the cyclists leave from Celtic Park bound for Seville. Today we hear from Brian O’Shea, who started cycling just three years ago and now faces an unimaginable task – all to aid the work of the Celtic FC Foundation. You can hear Brian’s story below, and just as importantly, you can support the work of the Foundation, your Foundation, here.
Many thanks for all the support towards the cyclists. Keep in touch with their journey on Twitter: @Road2Seville23
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It’s cheaper to buy a share in Sevco than it is to pee at Central Station.
Happy half way through work week!
I’m still basking in the glow of Sunday’s victory over The Forces of Darkness. May the Gourth be with you.
HH
Beelzebub
Bealezebub?
Any News on the injury to AJ ?
How long he might be out for etc ?
HH.
18 YARD MAN on 3RD MAY 2023 9:00 AM
SAINT STIVS on 3RD MAY 2023 12:02 AM
Ask your fellow Celts…
While not disagreeing in any way with the sentiments expressed in your comments, I think you may be double-counting our titles. I think that the 22-23 title will be the 53rd, not the 54th as you state.
Happy to be wrong, though…🍀
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your right, the source, something called the internet, has celtic already marked up as having won this seasons talready.
i will tally it up and repost.
bottom line we finish this season as scotlands most succesful club.
What kind of picture of your club do you have if you go from Bielsa in 2018 , Jesse Marsch in 2022 and Javier Garcia in 2023, to a position where you think Sam Allardyce is the answer?
It’s like us replacing Ange with Jack Charlton
Thanks, SS…
Mr. Mad, formerly of this parish, once described me as ‘Statto’. I took that as a compliment…
I wish I was charlie bhoynka with that golden ticket to the championship factory on Sunday.
We’ve little to lose and a lot to gain with this preseason tour. If we get it right it will give us the base to challenge in europe, certainly at europa level.
Does anybody know what the situation is with Siegrist? Has he been injured? Is he still injured? Or is he just third choice?
Bain is suitable as a third choice in my view so I had hopes that Siegrist may push Hart for #1 but he hasn’t been on the bench for weeks/months.
We need to play pre-season games, if it grows the clubs audience and raises awareness of the club then it is worthwhile.
Worst case
Celtic will get the short term boost from having Asian players and make some money I.e. the Australian tour.
Best case
Celtic will get the short term boost above and longer term the clubs story resonate with the folk there and the club become a favourite with others
This article is worth a few minutes of your time.
If you’re busy, the executive summary is: boo hoo hoo, Madhun, you’ve been treated unfairly and with prejudice, imagine that!
After the refs inadvertent advantage on Saturday, the karma just keeps rolling in.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65458307
Sounds like a good opportunity for a game against an – ahem – “unknown opponent” – that mustn’t be called an “old firm” game of course!
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 3RD MAY 2023 12:57 PM
What kind of picture of your club do you have if you go from Bielsa in 2018 , Jesse Marsch in 2022 and Javier Garcia in 2023, to a position where you think Sam Allardyce is the answer?
It’s like us replacing Ange with Jack Charlton
____
Surely that’s only till the end of the season, even if they do stay up. Four tough games to come:
Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham and Tottenham. I thought he was older but is only 68.The word only, confirms I’m a young old codger too😉
Happy Albert Kidd Day!
https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/5858b77a23ca44762b515e732ce9c74a
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France or Spain it’s all the same we’ll go anywhere
The Asian Tour,could be a necessary fishing trip for new jersey sponsorship, the way they are clamping down on alcohol and gambling deals.
Paul 67,
We must strike while the iron is hot.
In the short to medium term Japan and South Korea will be a profitable market for us, however I have my doubts in the long term.
Ultimately European football and subsequent success in these tournaments will be where we realise our aspiration and markets.
HH.
In Zaire you’ll find us there calling out your name
My friends in Celtic,
Times change. What was acceptable some years ago is no longer acceptable today.
Similarly, we evolve and create a new normal.
We have had many debates about Pyro on here. Health hazard, dangerous, anti social etc etc. All valid topics of discussion .
However there is no doubt it can be spectacular.
Those against will need to accept defeat. In the new normal it is here to stay, until something more spectacular comes along.
Embrace the now and the dynamic extravaganza.
HH to all.
We currently have five Japanese boys plus one out on loan. Hard to imagine any other team in Europe with that many. I wouldn’t be surprised if we had another one or two in the next year also. If we could do something in Europe with a strong contingent of Japanese boys, that’s got to stimulate interest out there. It’s a massive country with people who aren’t afraid to spend money. I was fortunate enough to visit there some years ago and absolutely loved it.
TANGBHOY – I’ve asked the same question on here a couple of times in recent months.
A friend of mine was on a coaching course at CP a couple of weeks ago and said Siegrist was there in full training with the rest of the squad. His injury was back at Christmas time and he returned to training around end of Jan. He does not get mentioned in any injury updates.
Complete mystery as to why he has dropped out of the picture. Much better keeper than Bain.
Andrew Dickson, Huns director of finance, latest to leave the Ibrox boardroom. Follow the money . . .
Or lack of it.
Andrew Dickson –
a person who really does know where the contracts were buried.
He was there all the way through the Murray years, BTC, WTC, EBT, false registrations, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATIONS (what a feckin irony given the two meanings of the words) , the City of London police raid, transfer bungs, false accounting, over inflating building valuations, switching between Big Murray Comapany and offshore accounts . the death of a club/company, the birth of another, enabling several board members to do whatever they wanted regardless of impact to the company, failing to pay HMRC, losing the debenture rights and the seats for life from the granda bears.
Lying in plain sight to Nimmo and all others.
Now look at the resume – ffs. seriously.
—————–
Andrew Dickson
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND FOOTBALL ADMINISTRATION
A member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, Mr Dickson began his career at Rangers in 1991 in the finance department, becoming Financial Controller of the Club in 2001. During this period, he gained knowledge of the football administration side of the Club and in 2003 took up the position of Head of Football Administration, where his experience of football finance, player contracts and the rules and regulations governing the administration of the game was indispensable.
Mr. Dickson became Director of Finance and Administration and was subsequently appointed to the football club Board in March 2015. Currently he is a member of the SFA Congress, SFA Rules and Revision Committee, SPFL Judicial Panel Protocol Working Group and is the Club representative at the Glasgow FA. His long association with Rangers and his involvement in a number of different Committees and Working Groups within the SPFL and SFA has provided him with a unique understanding of the dynamics within Scottish, British and European football.
The Chartered Accountants society should have sine died him
Football Administration means administring the business of the football club it was nnot meant to mean taking the club into administration,
Currently he is a member of the SFA Congress, SFA Rules and Revision Committee, SPFL Judicial Panel Protocol Working Group and is the Club representative at the Glasgow FA. His long association with Rangers and his involvement in a number of different Committees and Working Groups within the SPFL and SFA has provided him with a unique understanding of the dynamics within Scottish, British and European football.
————
here you, aye you, the guy with the experience of falsely registering players and paying them off the payroll, and then lying about it, em would you be so kind as to join our Rules and Revisions committe and the Judical Panel ……………..
YOUTH CUP FINAL…
CELTIC v Huns Tonight is on LIVE BBC SCOTLAND ( Channel 9 ).
KICK AFF is 7PM
Mon The Hoops.
im trying to get a Bet on it ?
HH
Celtic v Huns Tonight in Youth Cup Final.
Kick aff is 7.00pm.
Programme starts at 6.50pm.
I canny get a Bet on.
HH
Saint Stivs – spot on. Tefal man.
Interesting to see how this plays out. Park, Dickson, Robertson and Wilson gone in quick succession as well as Mulholland who headed up their youth academy.
That is a lot of experience and knowledge walking out the door.
Walking out the door… pushed out , or running as fast as their wee legs will carry them …
They don’t do walking away …😜
https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/tributes-paid-legendary-celtic-fan-26830618
Guys,
Absolutely no criticism. I love laughing at the huns as much as any other.
However where would the blog be if there were no form of huns ?
There is no doubt they are good for our business.
Incidentally ; What other opposition team could entice punters to queue outside a boozer from 08.00 hrs on match day as they did for Graces on Sunday ?
HH. To all.
GREENPINATA on 3RD MAY 2023 3:57 PM
Having a serious rival is important financially and in a sporting context and I believe most Celtic fans would want that. What we find less desirable is when that rival is greatly favoured by The Scottish Establishment ,by Football`s governing Bodies and by the far from neutral Officials.
That awkward moment when Celtic don’t win and Sevco lose.
Hot Smoked,
True. And yet we are the only unbeaten team since domestic VAR was introduced.
HH.
Rainjurz all set to win the Split League
Daily Rancid /