As I walked out of Celtic Park after the Leipzig game it occurred to me that we are a totally different football team than we would be without our three Japanese players. Kyogo, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda transformed Celtic three years ago and the trophies have flowed ever since.
Between them, the cost just shy of £7m, money that is almost within the reach of four clubs in Scotland. We signed them, because Ange Postecoglou knew them from his time in Yokohama. There is value in Japan, but since Ange, we have looked elsewhere.
Last week, it was difficult to avoid talking about Nicolas Kuhn, the breakthrough player across this season’s Champions League (so far). Nicolas signed in January and was cursed in some places by being regarded as a ‘project’. It took less than 6 months for his project to mature into a player we could struggle to hold onto.
There is a common thread between the players signed from Japan and Nicolas – City Football Group (CFG). Yokohama are a CFG member club, who also developed Mark Lawwell for a decade before he reunited with Ange at Celtic as our head of recruitment.
Mark Lawwell’s term also saw Paulo Bernardo join (initially on loan) and Alistair Johnston. He found Yang, Oh and Kwon, all three of whom are back in the South Korea national squad.
And, of course, Alexandro Bernabei, the left back currently ripping it up Brazil, and who we are set to make a packet on, as well as Tomoki Iwata, who is thriving at Birmingham. His hit rate reflected his development with the elite recruiment resources at Manchester City.
Before Brendan arrived in 2016, we discussed how those in senior positions at Celtic had only ever worked at smaller clubs. Brendan’s appointment broke the mould and Celtic’s football operation leapt forward.
The two we recruited from CFG elevated our operations further and were bang on where we needed to be as a club. Our identity and mission was clear, we find talent with elite potential and transform them into winners and Champions League players.
We still have an elite manager in Brendan. We have money in the bank and will continue to buy players. Going forward, they are more likely to resemble Adam Idah (£9.5m, English second tier, will not appreciate in value), and Arne Engels (£11m, German top tier, smaller appreciation likely), than Kuhn or Hatate.
As a consequence, our identity now is less sharp than it was a year ago and our growth potential is inhibited. The future lies in finding gold in places like Vienna, not the bench of an English Championship club.
The Ange Postecoglou – Mark Lawwell era demonstrated what you can find when an elite manager and head of recruitment work together. Listen out, you’ll hear, “How are we going to hold onto these Mark Lawwell signings”, as I did from one CQN’er the walk out of Celtic Park last Tuesday night. Still, those who want to spend money to stay ahead of the other lot, instead of operating at a genuinely elite level across the club, will be happy.
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If the Board felt that 78,000 seats were too much, they could use the upper corners for big screens or Hospitality seating, or a mixture of both.
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i dont think we need 78k seats just now.
but i dont think we should do anything that backs us into a corner that we cant increase if we need to in the future.
so modernise the south stand just now (whatever that would mean) but leave scope to do it properly in the future if the demand is there
And anyway, I can’t believe you want to turn the page
And move your life onto another stage
You can change the chapter, you can change the book
But the story remains the same if you’d take a look
quick quiz 80’s synth pop retro classic review band?
The Scouser hating ref been caught on the Charlie as well…
COYGIG
https://cdn.celtsarehere.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024-11-05T220757Z_1254140297_UP1EKB51MDDN2_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-CEL-RBL-REPORT-1024×642.jpg
setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on 13th November 2024 3:25 pm
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Brilliant post.
Rebuilt the main stand and have a retractable roof – my dream.
Ghals one up
1-1
1-2
https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/sport/football/brighton-and-hove-albion/matt-orileys-direct-message-to-crawley-towns-jay-williams-after-recovery-from-injury-4863877
Matt O’riley talks about how he dealt with his horror injury.
HT 1-2
I can’t see any way the stadium capacity will be increased, we are at our limit for playing in Scotland. The money needs spent on the toilets and the catering outlets,( I’m in the main stand), and the footprint needs investment, I think selling alcohol will come,but we need places where families, and individuals can go before a game right beside the stadium, it would comfortably pay for itself with what we charge anyway.
Is there a stream of the Ghirls’ match perchance?
Thanks.
What a run of fixtures the Ghirls are on!…
Glasgow City (H)
Chelsea (H)
Rankers (H)
Chelsea (A)
Montrose (H)
Real Madrid (H)
FC Twente (A)
Never before have Montrose been in such exalted company!
The Shareholders need to ask about the lack of facilities for the ordinary fan both inside and outside Celtic Park ,and a potential money spinner the Museum,good god they are sitting 77+millions ask them what they intend to do with all that cash
The proposed Museum is the Fat Cats Car Park,can’t see it changing anytime soon
Chelsea bring on a Brazilian
Good evening all from the Crystal Palace. A reasonable return from ayr races today.
Jimmy
That’s a great line to get up. 👍
Braw
Ooo er missus
I must say that there are some seriously ugly hun bassas in Ayr. BMCUWP and his Dad CoseyCornerBhoy could testify to that. They’ve probably battered a few over the years but some are so hideous it beggars belief. And that’s just the women. 🫣
FT 1-2
Chelsea dominate .
Celtic we’re a bit more expansive in the last 15 minutes but to no avail 🫤
Paul’s parter pash pass it on.
Great performance by Celtic Ghirls tonight. Lost 2-1 but gave their all for 90 minutes against one of the favourite teams for the trophy.
We had to listen to two of the most patronising women commentators unfortunately. From the beginning they were telling us how hard a night it was going to be for our Ghirls and the defence in particular. At the start of the second half Chelsea brought on three players who we were told were great and they hoped that the Celtic defence were ready for a very hard second half. Apparently we would be spending a lot of time without the ball and that we would tire especially towards the end. Well Elena Sadiku must have put something in their half time cuppa because our Ghirls ran around like demons and in the last 10 minutes it looked like the Chelsea team were struggling to hold on.
A narrow defeat but a great performance from our Celtic Women. Well done to Elena and the Ghirls. Their performance, physicality and fitness levels have improved unbelievably since I started watching them two years ago.
TOSB- That is the first time I’ve watched a womens game for 90 minutes, it was a far better watch than I thought, great result against an opponent from a much higher level going by all accounts, the commentators were a disgrace BTW
The Celtic Ghirls are now playing at a different level, first time for a Scottish club if I’m not mistaken.
And they have done very well, though Elena will still be disappointed that we did not get a point in the latter part of the game. And Chelsea are the English (Super League) Champions dont forget. A League where the top teams can afford to bring in players from the World over. All in all a lot of progress in a relatively short time for Celtic, and the Scottish Women’s team have a chance to qualify for next summer’s Euros. And remember if the ghirls play football they will support football, ghirls like Kelly Clarke our Captain.
!!BADA BING!! on 13TH NOVEMBER 2024 10:29 PM
TOSB- That is the first time I’ve watched a womens game for 90 minutes, it was a far better watch than I thought, great result against an opponent from a much higher level going by all accounts, the commentators were a disgrace BTW
………………………..
I can see very steady improvement Bada. In my opinion Elena Sadiku is doing better than Fran Alonso. She is a hard ass, no nonsense coach. She said that when she took over around last Christmas that confidence was an issue. She drummed into the players that they played for Celtic and that Celtic fear no one. She has introduced height into the team and brought new players to the Club which have improved the quality of the team. When I started to watch them I thought they tried to play good football but were a bit lightweight and easily pushed around. That’s not an issue now. We have Ghirls with a bit of dig, Natalie Ross and Colette Cavanagh. Stamina and pace have also improved. They are going in the right direction but they need to play in Glasgow and not out in Lanarkshire. All the Ultra groups were there tonight supporting them. Over 7000 in attendance which is great. They would probably benefit from further investment.
Yes those commentators were outrageous.
TOSB-Maybe the investment at Barrowfield could include a couple of stands,to watch the girls and the U19s teams
Supposedly Barrowfield won’t have games due to restricted access.
Bada
That’s what I was thinking. I seem to recall someone on here (I think) saying that Auchenhowie has a stand that holds 500 people. A couple of those would be great. I don’t know if it’s feasible at Barrowfield though as I’ve never been there.
TURKEYBHOY on 13TH NOVEMBER 2024 11:02 PM
Supposedly Barrowfield won’t have games due to restricted access.
………………………
That puts the kybosh on a cunning plan. 🤣
I should have said that Celtic Women only went fully professional in 2020 so they have made brilliant progress reaching the CL Group stages in only four seasons.
Barrowfield did not get planning consent for a spectator stand. Not because of access. But because it is zoned for sport facility.
As if anyone complaining would go watch anyway.
On a plastic pitch.
Chief inspector tornface
Waste of the pitch tonight. Thousands of empty seats.
Put on a free match during the break Celtic plc
Murray Park stand is a shithole. Have a family member regularly there with the kid. It’s a coup.
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS on 12TH NOVEMBER 2024 3:18 PM
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 12th November 2024 3:03 pm
I don’t feel that it’s the fault of the Celtic support if we are unable to do so. Liel left because he was under extreme pressure from people within Israel. Celtic fans didn’t want him to leave.
Why do you think he was under extreme pressure from people within Israel ??
To help perpetuate the myth thst Europe is not safe for Jews anymore to help fill the new settlements upon the graves of the children of Palestine. No other reason. Wake da f… up
SFtBs @ 4:35 PM,
“What metrics, other than team selection by Brendan Rodgers, makes Luke McCowan, an older experienced midfielder, and Luis Palma a prospect?
Luke McCowan- 26 yrs old- 3 years at Dundee, one in the Championship, and was never capped by Scotland at any level. He has 2 goals in 8 appearances for Celtic.
Luis Palma – 24 yrs old- experienced in the Honduras Top Division, USA 2nd tier league and the Greek Super League- capped 24 times at under age levels and with 16 full caps and has scored 7 goals in 32 games for Celtic.
I am not arguing about who currently looks the best bet for Celtic- that’s another argument – but definitions about prospects and established are being stretched here. David Turnbull had more top flight experience than Luke and commanded a heftier fee but he fell short of breaking out of his “squad member” status. Luke has yet to do this too and, though I like what I see, I see no guarantees that he will not be squeezed out by better players, as Iwata was.
So, I cannot see a “sea-change”, amidst an admitted undefined “strategy” and your own recognition that no wheels are being re-invented, and on the basis of one transfer window. When you and we lack a definition, have a small sample of evidence, and a shoehorning of people into categories where McCowan= Mooy, then we are reduced to reading runes and not weighing evidence.”
No doubt you have a very good point, yet you ask for metrics when the whole point of my reply to Weeron was we are lacking that detail.
The lead relates to Mark Lawwell and we presume his* strategy for player procurement.
It then selects players from the Ange era and ML era who have seemingly progressed.
Of course it’s not a new thing, Bernabei getting plaudits in Brazil now makes him a good signing.
Ignoring the fact he could not displace Greg Taylor at left back under two Celtic managers, he was regarded as not even a sufficient No2 to GT
A CQN lead suggested he was the recruitment teams No4 choice and it was Ange who rejected the good players and picked Bernabei
So we have the well worn revisionism
Like the ray of hope beamed on CFG wunderkind Marco
Tilio is a player: the evidence mounts
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/tilio-is-a-player-the-evidence-mounts/
How are those metrics looking!?
My point was that under BR&Co the player recruitment and squad management is being revamped, as stated by Mr Rodgers – however it doesn’t hugely deviate from Peter Lawwell’s states “strategy” and the vast majority of time does not veer away from recent past recruits in 90% of cases.
Now, that doesn’t mean that Paul67 doesn’t have a point, he does.
In the summer of ’23 CQN leads stated what the strategy was, that it would be driven by analytics and Celtic would stick rigidly too it.
This was in marked contrast to what seemed to be going on with the Executive and Team Management.
The Executive had gone and thrashed out a deal with Brendan Rodgers who then stated the type of players he wanted to recruit.
Fine so far!?
Now BR’s recruitment (e.g. not 15mn players but max 10mn, experience, physicality, personality, yada, yada, yada…) was in marked contrast to CQN’s guys…
Analytics determines age U24
Price point under 4 mn
Games played, yada, yada, yada…
Yet here is the curiosity…
The Manager was wrong and CQN was right, the players we brought in hit the CQN sweet spot.
Now, as stated we really don’t know what strategy Paul67 is referring too, St Stivs gives us the corporate strategy, I’ve stated the Chairman’s player recruitment strategy, and we have the P67/ML strategy it seems.
The latter is the one we can assume Paul67 refers too, yet outside the blog and a Barcabhoy tweet, there seems to be no official recognition that I can find.
Again, that doesn’t mean these social media ghuys made it up, far from it, they seemed to get the recruitment when Mark Lawwell was Head spot on.
Yet, BR’s stated expectations from the summer of ’23 seemed to be realised in summer ’24 as we modified and are now revamping the recruitment approach.
Of course, as stated, I don’t see this as really re-inventing the wheel, in terms of being a departure from Peter Lawwell’s stated “strategy” – but certainly different from CQN’s and the summer of ’23 strategy.
Kuhn’s “metrics” seem to hit the P67/ML sweet spot, yet Engel’s and Idah’s doesn’t
Yet mainly due to price.
From BR’s stated objectives, all three were approached in the same manner and it was value, rather than price point seemed to be the key objective.
It has been stated that any player over 6mn must be signed off by the principal stakeholders
Which means, he, the executive, the Board and the Manager signed off on Trusty, Idah and Engels
Which by default means that these players are part of Celtic’s official recruitment strategy.
*Clearly ML had the metrics, analytics and profiling to follow, however, and this wasn’t official, it is said he wasn’t totally happy with the narrowness, which he felt restricted his ability to do the best job – who knows eh!?
Hail Hail
THE RETURNOF WEERON @ 5:52 PM
“Saint Stivs, thanks for this.
————————
STRATEGY, THE BUSINESS MODEL AND OBJECTIVES
The Group’s objective is to be a world-class football club through our strategy and business model for growth focusing on three key areas:
MY RESPONSE to whoever at Celtic who wrote this:
A World Class football club is one that regularly competes for the Champions League. We are not there. We are nowhere near there. There isn’t an ounce of evidence that we are trying to be there. There is a world of difference between an organization that complies with the law and relevant administrative regulations – and a World Class Football Club.
Chairbhoy on 13th November 2024 3:42 pm…..
Thanks to you too.
This caught my eye….
‘“Our successfully proven strategy has delivered stability and footballing success over many years and remains the same’.
My response, with a basket case like sevco as our ‘competition’, we could have this level of footballing success without getting out of bed.
The objectives and targets that our board speaks of are easy to reach (and easy to obfuscate if we don’t reach them).
Proper targets should (again IMHO) should be easily understood by our fan base, and have meaning to the fan base, and would be things that the fan base would want:
Something like:
Champions League participation in 3 out of 5 years.
Knockout stages at least 2 out of the next 5 years.
Those who run the Club are setting a very low bar. This allows them to get up at the AGM and declare victory.”
Yes, some very good points again.
How you can have a stand alone recruitment strategy without building in to clearly defined model and objectives defies logic.
How those aims are supposed to be strived for, yet domestic trophies are regarded as major triumphs at the AGM again seen as the pinnacle.
Of course some say the strategy is still unofficially wedded to the “old firm” model.
If our recruitment is assisting us to reach a higher level in the UCL while R2ngers languish, it means we are making the “old firm” less relevant.
That would be a very poor outlook if that was indeed the case.
I hope and sincerely think it isn’t
My feeling about the “moneyball” recruitment strategy is that it was a business rather than football strategy, based on a revenue stream rather than feeding into the overall corporate objectives.
Anyway, I’m blethering on, and the original point was, if fholk don’t put meat on the bones of what they actually mean, we are heading for another circular argument.
Thanks for the chat ghuys
Aff oot
Hail Hail
T-Boy
“Tell me how flying flags and walking through Glasgow will bring peace to the Middle East.”
Not too different from the comments made by the right-wing on various rags in the uk. Throw in a few right wing play-book buzzwords and you’d have made it.
I do ask myself the same question. After all – Gaza is completely gone. However, when folk from Gaza on the marches ask us to keep on going, when young women brought up in Glasgow who moved with their family to Lebanon in recent years only to be sent back to Glasgow by their father who then ended up dead under the rubble of an eight story building, ask us to keep on going, then I’ll keep on going.
Maybe Glasgow is not exotic enough for you, so when folk in London, New York, Sydney, Buenos Aires, New Delhi and Karachi, Washington DC, Rome and various other cities across Europe, Africa, Australia and the Americas are marching then I’ll keep on going.
When folk in Amsterdam are banned from demonstrating following the visit from the scum of Tel Aviv, then I’ll keep on going.
When i recall the story of Mohammad Bhar, then I’ll keep on going.
And finally, I’ll keep on going because I now despise the Israeli State, its leaders, the IDF and the complicit world leaders including those in the UK who will never again get my vote.
Never stop talking about Palestine
Never stop marching for Palestine
Never stop boycotting Israeli goods and services…You are either for genocide or against it.
There are no ifs buts or maybes