Let’s get the badge kisser-thing sorted once and for all. We have seen enough of them come and go not to be taken in. You can set your watch by them. I don’t believe in a hierarchy of Celtic players, or supporters, based on proclaimed affinity. You are at Celtic because you want to be here, fan or player, and that’s enough.
Kieran Tierney has been a highly paid and respected professional for four years. He mixed with others of the same ilk, as well as some who know they are out of their depth at Celtic. The latter cherish the term of their Celtic contract, the former all wonder what level they will be able to reach in the game. All of them. To the best of my knowledge, no Celtic player has rejected circa £75k per week to remain here.
I don’t know what his medical advice has been, but if you read about chronic osteitis pubis, you get an insight into where an athlete’s head may be when he has a persistent injury that is not responding as hoped.
“Osteitis pubis is a painful degenerative condition of the pubic symphysis, surrounding soft tissues and tendons…. It is currently considered as one of the most debilitating pain syndromes for athletes. Although the condition is considered self-limiting, it often requires stoppage of sporting activities for several months, representing a significant problem especially for elite athletes.”
Kieran got this move coming off the worst season of his professional career. We will see if things improve, or go downhill, this season. Consider what advice his agent would have given him right now. None of this forms part of the public discourse, instead we got a clumsy social media comment about being out with his pals while Celtic are playing a crucial qualifier.
If we are serious about making progress as a football club, we need to take our player trading onto another level. That means everyone has a price and we should be ready with replacement options whenever a value offer arrives.
If you think selling your top player for £25m is a bad day at the office, imagine your challengers selling a single player for that sum, and how transformational this kind of money is. Trading is as much a part of success in the elite game as tactics and fitness. There are no sacred cows, because eventually, the most sublime talents perish.
We should always be ready to make a deal. See how it is done in Portugal. Or look at Ajax, who were going nowhere, then discovered how to trade, sold €72m of talent in 2016-17, €73m in 2017-18 and reached the Champions League semi-final in 2018-19.
Multi-treble winning Brendan Rodgers is not a talent spotter. He added Scott Sinclair (whom he had worked with) and Moussa Dembele (a John Park recommendation) to Ronny Deila’s squad. If we are going to spend significant sums of money this summer, better to have Neil Lennon with his hand on the tiller.
It felt like a bad day when Brendan left, but now I am sure it was for the best. There is no telling the damage Brendan and Lee would do with this kind of money. Kieran was great, the best left back in decades, and yes, he should have stayed for 10, but I’m already feeling pretty neutral about him leaving.
At Celtic, we love our history more than any others do, but football is all about tomorrow. Time to get busy writing the next chapter.
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FOURSTONECOPPI on 10TH AUGUST 2019 9:38 AM
Ah so thats alright then??????? WTF
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Yes.
The deportation of a violent criminal who is not entitled to remain in your country is not only alright.
It is the obligation of a sound legal system to protect its citizens from the actions of violent criminals.
Should these guys have been deported ?
I would suspect that the families of the eight murdered would wish that they had been.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49007472
You may feel differently.
That`s your choice.
In a democracy.
Tangbhoy 7.54
100% correct
Sensible planning and budgeting that shows some ambition but not reckless stupidity (see RFC/Sevco) is what the majority want.
The black/white views on here drive me nuts – there is a middle ground that invests to succeed and keeps the team fresh, exciting and hopefully successful is achievable without financial Armageddon. In fact is is self funding if we make CL groups.
If the 6 day to euro signing deadline is correct then we are indeed a basket case not to have taken steps far earlier to do our very best to invest to achieve that goal.
Does our club do all it reasonably can to make to make the CL – sadly the evidence of recent seasons and this one is a resounding NO. As someone wise once said if we are good enough to make the CL the domestic business will take care of itself.
Macjay how are you?…..are you an economic immigrant? You are entitled not to answer my question of course.A club open to all….really?Your views on here seem more aligned to fans of Sevco. Have a nice evening in Oz.
Macjay, It’s 9.58 in the morning here. Celtic team will be announced in about an hour, would you please give the politics a rest & let us concentrate on football.
Anyone having a go at guessing the team for today???
Here’s mine
Bain
Ralston. Ajer. Big Jules. BBM
Broonie.
Cal Mac
Jamsie. Arzani
Christie
Eddie
Probably totally wrong
D. :)
JIMTIM on 10TH AUGUST 2019 1:06 AM
THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 9TH AUGUST 2019 9:10 PM
@@@@@@@@
So you only expect us to win tomorrow . IF we play to our capabilities . And like many other celtic fans I will more than cheer up ,if we bring in the much needed quality . BUT like past transfer windows that’s not guaranteed is it .
…………………….
I always approach a Celtic game thinking we’ll only win if we play to the best of our ability. It would be arrogant not to. I will be very happy if we bring in much needed quality too but here’s the thing. You talk about it not being guaranteed that we will bring in the much needed quality if we take past transfer windows as an example. Following the last six transfer windows, we won 9 trophies out of a possible 9. We’ve got until 2 September to further strengthen. I’ll say it again, “Cheer up.” :-))
Mullet:
“All we need to do is ensure we beat clubs with half the money we have over 2 legs and 4 games. UEFA have made it hard but not too hard. The odds should be 75% in our favour but we are making it 50% with no plan.”
I take a little issue with this, purely on the basis of the arithmetic. We have in essence an accumulator bet where we only win the jackpot if each result goes our way. We play 4 rounds of matches, each round becoming progressively more difficult.
Round 1 we draw a champion team from the 18 lowest ranked nations, inc Malta, Poland and Hungary. There are odds to factor here given the difference between the champions of Faroe Islands (Torshavn) and the champions of Romania (Cluj), but lets allow that we get a middling draw and get the champions of Bosnia (Sarajevo).
We should* beat such a team, and will be odds-on. I’ll estimate, over two legs, that we will beat such a team 9 times out of 10, giving a probability of 90%, although a little cast back over the past 15 years reminds us of the likes of Artmedia and Maribor. Even so, I’m happy with 90%.
Next round ups the game somewhat, with the champion teams from the likes of Norway and Sweden in the mix. Mindful of Malmo recently, I’m a little less bullish, but I’ll still give us a probability of 7/10, 70%.
The third round gets more ‘interesting. This year we’ve drawn Cluj, but we might equally have drawn the champions of Greece or Slovenia, both of whom have beaten us in recent seasons. Mindful that it’s still pre-season, that the transfer window brings disruption, and the quality of team we’re facing is pretty tidy (given recent experience), I’m less confident, but still optimistic. I think we’ll beat such a side 6 times out of 10, 60%.
The final qualifying round is the bum-squeaker, with the champions from Switzerland and Czech Republic in the mix (allowing for the seeded team to have won in each previous round). We’ve been bounced by AEK and Sion in recent years, and this year it’s Slavia Prague, should we take care of Cluj on Tuesday night. Given our record against this standard of team, it’s a 50:50 shout, 50%.
Rolling up the accumulator, we’re looking at 0.9×0.7×0.6×0.5, giving the accumulated odds of 18.9%, or around once in 5 attempts.
Last year was the first season of 4 qualifying rounds, and we fell at the third to the champions of Greece, which is little surprise given the odds.
Even were we to be bullish, looking only at relative coefficient and finances, the arithmetic is still pretty unfavourable.
Even if we go at 99% first round, 90% second, 80% third and 70% final (highly optimistic and unsupported by previous experience) we’re still looking at only a 50% chance of making it through, and that’s not factoring for the bounce of the ball or the moment of madness or the ineptness of the refereeing or the head-turning transfer bid or any other of the myriad variables outwith our control.
34 champion teams enter the qualifying for the Champions League, and over 4 rounds (plus prelim) only 4 make it through to the group stage. For Celtic, even in the most optimistic (least realistic) scenario, qualifying is no better than the toss of a coin.
COYBIG. The journey continues.
Reading back , can’t believe the suggestion of dropping points today to promote a proposition.
CORKCELT on 10TH AUGUST 2019 9:38 AM
Celtic Social Media was always crazy but lately it’s gone bonkers altogether. I just dread to think what it would be like if we lost a game. I long for the days when Roy Croppie would post his pics and music and we could just relax and enjoy being Celtic fans in each others company.
Now there is a constant edge to almost every conversation, whether, Political, Social or Football related.
I know we can’t rest on past glories but we have just won the last 8 Championships, Trebles in the last 3 years,
In the third round of European Qualifiers with a very good chance of progressing and we have won our opening SPFL game 7 nil.
Do people here just get off on worrying & apprehension,
Anyhow big game today and am looking forward to it with relish, any kind of win will do me for this one.
Motherwell have been going OK and with us coming off a midweek European Game with 2nd leg coming up net Tuesday they will fancy their chances.
The line up will be interesting, Mikey & Elhamed are doubtful and for me Morgan didn’t do enough midweek to get a start. I expect Ralston & Sinclair to replace the afore mentioned.
Julien & Ajer to start & Boli to hold his place & have a storming game.
I have a feeling Edouard might be rested with The Griff leading the line. Shved for Forrest might be too many changes but I wouldn’t rule it out.
Main thing is football is our recreation, following Celtic is supposed to make us happy , so cheer up ghuys and if Roy Croppie is lurking you are badly needed, time to make a comeback.
…………………………
Well said.
Hail! Hail!
CORKCELT
Good post earlier!
I cannot fathom the lack of cheer among many of our posters, in all the Celtic circumstances
As you said, God help us if we lose a game.
Take care.
Before I start to gett too excited about the players that will entertain me for 2 hours this afternoon, does anyone know of any of our gang that remain crocked or suspended?
Take nothing for granted.
Not winning the domestic league Not qualifying for the play off round of the Champions League.
Both need to be earned with quality and hard work.
When and If we actually progress to the Champions league play off round treat it as a feat.
It is very lucrative money wise and guarantees group stage football of some kind till christmas.
We then sit on the cusp of genuine serious riches,reward and glamour.
But if we fail to make it I will not be getting the pitch fork out.
Today’s confirmed starting line up ……
Bain; Ajer, Bitton, Jullien, Bolingoli; Brown, McGregor; Forrest, Ntcham , Morgan, Griffiths
Subs: Gordon, Hayes, Shved ,Christie, Bayo, Edouard Sinclair
Celtic40me
I was going to pick you up on your Ajax point yesterday, but got sidetracked…
Ajax operate a different model to Celtic, and rely on gains on player sales to balance the operating budget deficit. Also, they will not use bank debt, and thus require to run with a cash floor above the typical.
That said, they closed 2018 with just €12M in the bank, a low point for them. The previous year they closed with €64M net cash, following the huge receipt from player sales. While the two clubs are peers in a financial sense, the big difference between Ajax and Celtic is in player trading, something Paul points out in his article, and which Harry Brady (Celtic Underground) has been banging on about for some time.
Ajax generate greatly more in player sales than Celtic, and are prepared to buy at a higher level also. By contrast, Celtic generate higher revenue and carry a larger wage bill. (BTW Ajax have not increased revenue for 10 years).
Given the remarkable fees they got for De Jong and De Ligt, plus Wober and others this summer, god alone knows what they’ll close the year to June 2020 with, but they’ve pulled in about €150M in the past 8 weeks in player sales. The expectation is that a fairly large chunk of this will be spent on players in the coming season or two, but it’s also likely that the club will pay a tidy dividend to shareholders too. There’s only so much cash a club of this scale needs after all, and shareholders will want their divvy.
Anyway, you’re right to point out that Ajax have typically high cash balances, but equally, they operate a model quite distinct from Celtic’s. Fundamentally, Ajax USE the cash they generate, while in recent seasons Celtic have accumulated cash unused.
It might be that Celtic are transitioning to something similar to the Ajax model, but we’ll need to wait and see on that score.
TBB
Jobo. Think Elhamed & Mikey are out, Jozo came off with a knock midweek and with his history I wouldn’t be surprised if he is out as well.
Morgan would probably be better in a more central role or else on the bench.
I think we will see Ralston for Elhamed, Julien for Jozo & Sinclair for Morgan.
Lenny will want to rest a few but still needs to win game, other possible changes for me Griff for Eddie & Shved for James. I don’t think he will want to make all 5 changes I’m suggesting but we will know very soon.
MULLET AND CO 2 on 10TH AUGUST 2019 9:53 AM
I’ll give Ajax as a club with more cash. They received £150m and spent about £50m so far this window.
That’s not just at the moment. Over the last six years they’ve had much more cash in the bank than we do now. Right now they must have a huge cash surplus but they’re still carrying on with the same model as before, de Ligt’s replacement is from the Argentine league and has 50 odd senior appearances there.
AAAghhh FFS. Team out before my drivel, better to keep your mouth shut & look a fool than opening it proving.
Anyhow I was right about Griff for Eddie so I’m not a complete fool, surprised to see Morgan starting, delighted to see Bayo on the bench.
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 10TH AUGUST 2019 10:51 AM
I don’t think the Ajax model is fundamentally different to ours, the main differences being
Right I’m off to local Coffee shop for a cuppa & a Blueberry Muffin, back in good time for the game. Keep it nice, keep it Celtic.
Strong looking team and good bench 👍🍀
@THE BATTERED BUNNET on 10TH AUGUST 2019 10:27 AM
I think the approach taken by Mullet is that we are financial heavyweights (relatively speaking) compared to a lot of the teams that we are likely to face in the CL qualifying rounds and for that reason we should be deemed to be the favourite in most ties (all things being equal); after all, that argument is rolled out when we play the likes of Valencia/Zenit etc (nevermind the real heavyweights).
The main differences will have to come later :)
:¬)
The Hands
I agree, and in a one off tie you can expect that to play out in the result. But multiplied by four such ties and the probabilities are transformed.
@ THE BATTERED BUNNET on 10TH AUGUST 2019 11:10 AM
The first two rounds are generally gimmies, so not sure how much effect they should have on calculations. If we cannot beat the champions of Albania etc then something is seriously wrong.
The latter two rounds are where matters become more serious, but even then, we more likely than not should be favourites in each respective game due to Celtic having a larger turnover and more money in the bank than our opponents. The issue is that this financial strength is not transferring to quality on the park.
CORKCELT on 10TH AUGUST 2019 10:03 AM
Why was your request directed to me alone instead of all the political commentators ?
Don`t worry. I know.
And so do you.
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