You would be forgiven for thinking Honest Dave King is a bit preoccupied by the C word. Every time he extrapolates where the club he supports (through an accomplished undermining strategy) is heading, the subject returns to knocking Celtic off their lofted perch.
This task could take £30m-£50, King estimates, a burden he is willing to share with others, although he does not appear to put a figure on his own piece of the action. Ploughing £50m into newco Rangers over the next five years would certainly help, but it would still leave them short of Celtic’s projected income over the period, and in this town, success is a zero sum game.
Top dog gets a crack at Champions League income, which is a bit of a chicken and egg situation. For a Scottish club to get into the Champions League in a responsible manner, they need Champions League income more seasons than not. Alternatively, they can gamble recklessly, build up contractual commitments which stretch out for years into the future, in the hope that they out-perform the other would-be top dog.
We’ve seen this movie before, it is the arms race that David Murray bulldozed Scottish football into. It was calamitous for his club, which was sold for £1 to an insolvency specialist before being liquidated.
It had consequences for Celtic too. Fergus McCann build a stadium and left us almost debt free, but in the intervening 20 years Celtic lost far more than they would have, if they had copied the lavish spend (and tax) policies Murray undertook with Rangers.
Things are different now. We have cash in the bank, a winning team on the field, who have qualified for the Champions League group stages twice in succession, and we’re guaranteed to be seeded to qualify again next season. We also have a secure long-term borrowing facility, so in the event of a reversal in qualification, the club would not be put in jeopardy.
Starting an arms war with this Celtic team would be an act of remarkable courage. Observers will also note that the upper limit of King’s expected requirement, £50m, is just a little less than 10 times what the highest bidder for Rangers assets managed to clean up with, when the supporter’s need was greatest.
There is an alternative football development strategy, it’s called sustainability. Budget to spend no more than what you expect to earn, appoint good coaches and scouts, pay your tax and look the world in the eye.
Engage fans in this sustainability model. Tell them the road to the top will have twists and turns, and will take a while, but they can be sure their club will never be liquidated. This is the only way to run a football club, whether your Celtic, Aberdeen or newco Rangers. It’s not always popular, there will often be calls to speculate a little more, but it will ensure the club survives.
King is a smart guy, so he will know this. He’s even lived through all the pain and drama once before, so the sustainability question will be intimately familiar to him. The question, therefore, is why is he attempting to lead strategy into the Clyde, flute in hand, like some latter-day Pied Piper of Govan?
He seems reluctant to underestimate Celtic but I detect a belief that the hedge funds, not to mention the Easdales, can be shoved around. That is courageous.
Keep up the good work, Dave.
Here we Go for 10 In a Row!
The 10th annual CQN charity golf day is set for Aberdour Golf Club on Friday 4th July. As ever it will be oversubscribed so if you’re interested in attending drop an email to BlantyreKev and Taggsy at cqnopen10IAR@gmx.co.uk as soon as you can.
Cost for the full day’s entertainment including golf is £80. There are a very limited number of non golfer evening places at £45.
Further detail will be released nearer the date and when places confirmed.
Seville – The Celtic Movement:
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Gordybhoy
It is my nieces 21st on Saturday, upstairs John Browns. Christopher’s big sis. You n Bradley must be there.
It had to be that outstanding top of the world great football team managed by the x rangers player who are blowing teams away, and there manager, who for certainty will get manager of the year, who has Neil Lennons number, and Whois club takes 40,000 fans to a Scottish cup final, and has turned this league on it’s head with it’s fast fluent football, that’s packing stadiums all over Scotland, and the signing back to Scotland of the welcome home boy Roonie, that fecked my coupon tonight.
DD,
you couldn’t have noticed,i get hitched on Friday in the beardmore,taking some English friends to paradise for their first ever game and then off to Tenerife on sunday,
I am sure Bradley will be there,the bhoy likes a party
Long time, no post!! Hows everyone doing?
SffS
gordybhoy
The very best of luck to you and your, soon to be, bride. Also, enjoy the Champions with your friends on saturday. I’ll be there too. KTF
Weefra HH supporting and praying for Wee Oscar.
Drambowie Celt
Thanks for that heartwarming story and to wee Oscar keep fighting wee man the prayers of the Celtic faithful are with you HH
Seven fishes
I’m fine, the rest, well they’re having problems.
everyone’s buying tickets for Firhill -lots available !
Question
From what I hear it’s a tough ticket to get, but you may get lucky in here if you ask.
Midnight prayers offered for the body and soul of Oscar Knox, CQN’sforeverhero
Salve Regina
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve:
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen.
Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known
that any one who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help
or sought thy intercession,
was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence,
We fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother;
to thee do we come, before thee we stand, sinful and sorrowful;
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not our petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer them. Amen.
DavieL
sorry I missed your post earlier,i will probably be in the Wild Geese in golf de sur for any games,
although I know a friend of the bhoy who runs the Highlander in Playa las Americas so might end up there for a beer
tony, not on ptfc . become a thistle fan for a day. i’m no stranger to firhill anyway, hailing originally from Lambhill.
off for a kip now
WeeFra,
cheers mucker,thanks
Gordy
I didnae bud. God bless you and your betrothed. I pray you both have eternal peace and happiness.
1700 tickets available on the jags website,
easy to register, easy to order.
i got 10 for the extended family,
lots of concessions as well , so its very fair pricing
get in there cqners.
Sky have ingerlish teams winning the CL on in the last hour.
In terms of spawny wins , i think they excel.
Top 5 spawny CL or EC wins
Man U 1999
L’pool 05 ( earlier rounds)
Chelsea 2012
Inter 2011
Steau 1986
Feyenoord 1970
st sivs -just done the same. very easy, good boost for Jags as well
gordybhoy
No problem. Right guys, off to ma cot. Night Night Timland. God bless the wee Mhan.
Weefra HH supporting and praying for Wee Oscar.
Paul67
Not important tonight but I commend you for stopping a worrying trend of debate earlier.
Hail hail
Fascinating, hard hitting and thought provoking expose on C4 there on the Vatican and the new Pope’s initiatives to clean house and deal with the alleged banking, abuse and corruption scandals to have affected the church in recent years.
Condolences to my fellow CQNers who have lost loved ones recently. The CQN family mourns your loss.
Thoughts with Wee Oscar and his family at this difficult time. Another hill to climb and another view to enjoy at the summit once there.
And ghuys, let’s keep the politics to a minimum and return this blog to things football, Celtic and the Celtic family. Tomorrow can be a big day for us all in life and in football.
Hail Hail
Coneybhoy
Hear,Hear. This Polish/Irish bloke born in Scotland agrees.
Had a friend over for dinner earlier tonight shared a curry and chewed the fat sang some rebel tunes and songs of hope and joy raised a glass for Celts far and wide for health and happiness ,and for those in turmoil a prayer.Friends,faith ,family…and Celtic as Tam Burns was oft quoted to one and all God bless champions once again.HH
Great result tonight for the sheepies. I`m off on holiday on Saturday, not back till late the following Saturday, so hopefully we`ll win it tomorrow night as I wouldn`t like to be wishing a couple of defeats for us until I get back!
selfishthoughtlessbastardcsc
gedhed7 sounds like a good night was had by all my friend.
H.H
saint stivs
00:10 on 26 March, 2014
1700 tickets available on the jags website,
easy to register, easy to order.
i got 10 for the extended family,
lots of concessions as well , so its very fair pricing
get in there cqners.
________________________
A wee heads up wi the website addy would help ya nugget ;))
I tried for tickets on the website, no chance?
Coneybhoy
00:10 on
26 March, 2014
Sky have ingerlish teams winning the CL on in the last hour.
In terms of spawny wins , i think they excel.
Top 5 spawny CL or EC wins
Man U 1999
L’pool 05 ( earlier rounds)
Chelsea 2012
Inter 2011
Steau 1986
Feyenoord 1970
you do know there are six in your top five?? :-)
Meant to say is this the sale of the year?
12 cans caffrey’s £6.99
Took a chance on them for tomorrow night celebrations
Magnificent seven
I know, just threw that in at the end cos we lost!
Coneybhoy….,
Didn’t see much ‘spawny’ about Stevie G’s wonderful strike against Olympiakos , mate.
Well deserved winners in Istanbul for that 2nd half performance.
i’m praying for ye wee man……………lets go back to the day they liquidised, who on earth would have thought that celtic would have won the league so early march ffs and that there is a distinct possibility that there is no city in Scotland with two teams in the top league
ryecatcher,
Stevie G’s performance in the 2nd half, then in ET was nothing short of superb.
Talk about playing a Captain’s role?
Would just love to see him finally pick up the 1 major trophy that has eluded him so far, in the the shape of the EPL Trophy.
that result at old Trafford tonight has made it very difficult now though.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
I can’t ever thank posters on here enough. Your messages of condolence have been overwhelming. For those who can give your parents an extra hug :-)
@light
xtra hug for ma dad tomorrow
H.H.
Ttt…..
Keep the faith mate.
If Liverpool beat Man Shitty at Anfield soon then it will put doubt in their minds.
They are not the same team without Aguero.
If Liverpool then beat Chelski at Anfield in May it could go down to the last day.
They’ve got a punchers chance with that brilliant midfield and forward line.
It helps if you have a great young fearless manager,too.
Would love it for Steven…..so deserving of the prize.
YNWA
Love to the beautiful moonhowlers too. You don’t always deserve it but you can be funny. ;-)
The drugs sometimes work. Work that out The Verve…
@LIGHT
In the words of the world infamous B.T.O
You Aint Seen Nuffin Yet. Bbbbaby You Aint Seen Nuffin Yet.
A light insanity…..Wonderful tune…..Enjoy…,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR8XH3R95xE
22 Oct 2008 – Uploaded by yurksemesh