Let’s clear something up right away. Every summer Celtic know they may not reach the Champions League group stage. No matter how well they plan and recruit, they can come up against a better, or luckier, opponent. Champions League football might not happen in any given season, or the following season.
Celtic failed to reach the group stage of the Champions League five times in the last nine seasons. We might be getting better at qualification, but no one is making that assumption.
On 30 June last year, we had £24.5m in the bank. That figure should be higher on the same reporting date this year. We might not reach the Champions League group stage next season, but your football club has never been better prepared for a sporting reversal.
In a newspaper interview yesterday, Dave King compared Celtic’s current position with that of now-liquidated Rangers at the time Martin O’Neill came to Celtic. In O’Neill’s first season at Celtic, Rangers competed in the Champions League group stage before dropping to the Uefa Cup. But, on their 30 June 2001 reporting date, they had a bank balance of only £17,000. Not enough to buy a family hatchback.
Rangers were gambling every penny they could get their hands on without thought for the consequences of a reversal. It was a brutal period to be a Celtic fan, because although we were also losing money during at that time, the club was under siege from all sides for not ‘showing the ambition’ of the likes of David Murray and Dave King at Rangers.
Celtic know the perils of an over-dependence on Champions League revenues. We do not budget on having to qualify for the group stage each season, far from it. Our commercial sponsorship deals, retail and hotel plans, as well as player recruitment and development strategy, are all designed to mitigate an over-reliance on one source of income. A £24.5m bank balance is evidence of a club planning on long-term stability.
We know what we will do in any season they don’t qualify for the Champions League in order to give us the best chance to do so the following season. We know what to do to respond to any credible threat from another Scottish club for the domestic title.
We have experienced professionals in the boardroom and throughout all executive roles, and an actual billionaire who has put more money into Celtic than anyone has put into any Scottish football club – apart from the money the taxpayer wrote off due to the liquidation of Rangers while Dave King was paid to monitor and direct the club.
Celtic run scenarios on how things can go wrong. They know the limits of what King and Newco can achieve and believe the biggest threat to Celtic’s dominance is for the executive to make strategically bad moves. Rangers era of dominance was undone by financial recklessness, but in management terms, the problem was that the mechanisms did not exist to call the board to account on their gambling.
To combat this, Celtic have made sure that everyone at the club is challenged on their plans and performance, especially the chief executive. If there is a strategically bad move made at Celtic, which could threaten their dominance in Scotland, it will have to get through multiple layers of scrutiny and opposition. No one wants to be the next David Murray or Dave King.
Your football club might not be gamblers on the scale of Murray and King, but they are fiercely competitive and never want to lose another Scottish title. That is what we plan for, and that is the reality that Dave King cannot come to terms with.
£6m from a share issue – and he didn’t even commit to that amount, even if the Takeover Panel are quickly satisfied on the overdue share offer! And all that patter yesterday about delays in opening a bank account; why now transfer the money into your solicitor’s client account, like the rest of the world?
Why so many people put faith in this man “beggars belief”, to borrow a phrase. From his “glib and shameless liar” title to the years of evidence laid out in plain sight. You know how this story ends.
Ben Nevis Huddle is back!
After a three year gap, the Celtic fans will be back on Ben Nevis on mass on 30 June, to raise funds for your Foundation. This is a great chance to climb Britain’s highest in the company of dozens of other Celtic fans.
Participants are asked to raise (only) £130 for the Foundation. It is a great opportunity, see here for more details and to sign up.
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Before tonights race for second game the Sheep’s manager had this to say:))
“Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes says it would be “a bit more embarrassing” for Rangers if they do not finish second in this season’s Premiership.”
There you have it it’ll be another easy three for the Sevs tonight, nothing like your own manager gee’ing up the other side:))
HOT SMOKED
I want Celtic to win every game they play, irrespective of any beneficial fallout to anyone, even the bilious tribute act.
I was never one for tactical voting either! :)
Fans of football on TV have a fun game to watch tonight, French Cup Final Les Herbiers v PSG.
Treble chasing Parisian black hats (1/40), who haven’t lost a domestic cuptie in four years, pitting their wits against relegation candidate white hats (66/1) from the third division whose founding father in 1919 was a real, honest to goodness father, Father Rousseau. TV5 Monde for firestickers.
What’s the current world record score in a national cup final?
evening all, frankie and benny say hi to everyone no matter which creed or colour .hh.
i will tactically vote, to get them orange barstewards, out of this world ,or universe or, feckin hell whatever.hh.
Thanks for the post p67, I don’t understand football finance/ management structures in general, so it’s very helpful
david 66, come out where ever you are and bring cheeko, mike in toronto come out and bring seamus ,what is the stars come out and bring angel, the exiled tim come out and bring? them all.hh. ffs this is the doggy clique, glendalys tonsils wants to join ive no problem with that.hh.
MIT
“people say a boycott would not have been efffective …I disagree …”
I don’t think I have seen that argument advanced here, so I am not sure who you are disagreeing with.
What I and others have argued is:-
There is little appetite for a boycott
There is little appetite for organising a boycott
There are a few individual voices on blogs ineffectually suggesting that others should boycott
The Board and custodians are well aware of how popular the Sevco fixture is and would be opposing majority Celtic fan opinion if it tried to downplay the event.
Of course, Boycotts can be effective. Celts for Change was effective but it still needed loads of organising, explaining and fortitude for this minority group of disaffected fans to be effective. Praecepta on CQN has often told us what it took. I see no signs of this determination in any sizeable group of fans, at present. It will take a lot more than blog posting to change that.
I don’t think our younger fans are less political, less determined, less organised or less effective than their forefathers. I just believe that they think differently and they are enjoying a period of football and financial dominance over a clubthat will always be a continuation of the previous club, even though it should receive no official recognition as such a beast.
Mahe and others
No time to do your reply justice, apart from the above reply to MIT. I am out at a concert tonight and must eat and run.
mahe the madman, how are you pal, do you want to join our clique.hh.smiley thing.
ACGR & Hot Smoked JJ
What time for pre match meal tomorrow in Coias? My son is coming along with me for his birthday treat of dinner then Celtic.
HH
Guyfawkes
Celtic 7 Rangers 1 1957?
60,000 delirious paying Celtic supporters shafted en route to back to back trebles.
This is a must watch from Cartuja.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=b5erBZv7kK8
Nice piece today Paul.
Reminded me of that old saying..
“Never interrupt you enemy when they’re making a mistake.”
The way King is going, we might have to keep quiet for a while yet.
For example..from yesterday’s breathless Q&A
“We are running at a loss, deliberately so.”
Translation – we could make a profit but we don’t choose to do so, in fact we’re proud of setting out to make a loss and reaching our target.
“Excuse me Mr Moneybags, would you like to invest in our club/business?
No, no, no. We deliberately set out NOT to make a profit. It’s how I operate my businesses.
That, and using other people’s money, not paying taxes & ignoring the UK law that governs financial matters. It’s worked for me so far. There’s always some mug who’ll buy my spin….
What? Are you sure you don’t want to invest?
What about a loan then, or a loan for equity thingie?
What about a seat on the board for 100K then?
No…you’ll be sorry.”
HH
okay out with the dogs today in the park, walks past this luxurious 4 bed bungalow, seen this guy a few times out cutting his grass, hello i say you can cut mine next, anyway to cut a long story short i said to him, are you a bank manager or own a company, bearing in mind this property is in the million pound bracket, no he says im a freemason ive got contacts, on my late mothers life that is what he said where do you go from there.hh.
Dallas
“When you put on a Celtic jersey, you are representing more than a team. You are representing a people and a cause.”
Tommy Burns, Calton and Celtic Legend RIP.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 8TH MAY 2018 6:20 PM
60,000 delirious paying Celtic supporters shafted en route to back to back trebles.
We deserve better. Meet you in the car park. I’ll bring the flaming torches , you bring the pitchforks.
BSR
The Celtic Way tomorrow:))
https://tenor.com/view/simpsons-gif-8939538
BIG PACKY on 8TH MAY 2018 6:22 PM
Ask him if he’s paid his taxes.
;)
:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Total Topper.
JOHN51, if i see him tomorrow will do hh.
Tommy Burns – nearly ?
https://youtu.be/bFHEuKkTa5k
BP
Laugh at him and leave him with the factual phrase Tiochfaidh arl la, Our day will come.
Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.
Bobby Sands MP RIP
Auldheid @ 12:53 AM,
Thanks for the reply… I’ve asked Paul to forward you my e-mail address…
Thanks in advance Paul.
Hail Hail
Delaney’s Dunky on 8th May 2018 6:17PM
No idea, would be a laugh if it was. I’ve only checked Petrofac Cup Finals so far, nothing better yet.
DELANEYS DUNKY, garry you bet our day will come.hh.
Bateen
Magical The Clash.
“Whatever he wants, he’s gonnae get it!”
Joe Strummer my hero like Tommy Burns RIP.
Guyfawkes
It is a UK cup final record scoreline,
Oh Hampden in the Sun.
Hope it is a world record.
Hope all is good in the OK Corral.
Dalmuir is Green and White.
YNWA
? on 7th May 2018 11:40 pm
TONYROME, e-mail me at vfr@girfuy.co.uk re KT picture.
KTF
————————————————————————
Email sent
KEEP THE FAITH
McInnes tryin a wee bit of positive psychology tonight.
Hope it works.
VFR
Following up on my previous conversation with DD and others …. and your conversation with TonyRome…
since you seem to be one of CQN’s fixers … (and I mean that in the best possible way) ….
Forget Keiran Tierney …can you arrange a picture of me with notable Celtic fans … Sharleen Spiteri and Claire Grogan?
Pretty please
:)
If you’ve not yet seen this I’d highly recommend it!
https://youtu.be/b5erBZv7kK8
MIKEINTORONTO
You’ll need to be more specific,mate.
Clothed or naked?
Karma? You cannae beat it.
? CSC
BMCUWP …
Never let it be said that I am not easy to get along with …. so I will go along with whatever is requested … so, if that means I am as neked as the day I was born … so be it…
actually, I’d probably be a lot more neked now, simply because there is a lot more of me than there was when I was born ….
oh … you meant, the ladies? silly me!
(if my earlier comment about Dave King earned me a red card from C45, I think this might earn me a 3 game suspension from him!)
:)
JOBO BALDIE
Quality Timternet Business.
The average transfer value of Manchester City’s first team squad members has reached an estimated £62.9m.
Good evening good guys
That Levein is a torn faced bassa..
Big Packy I hope you, Joan and the Bhoys are well, also ask the free mason if any of his pals are referees in Scotland?
D. :)