Learning to punch like Dutch and Portuguese sellers

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Josip Juranovic, who was recently mentioned as a target for Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, is reported by Sky Sports to be heading to Monza, currently 15th in Serie A, for around £7m.  It is neither the move nor the fee I was hoping for Josip.  His spectacular World Cup performances, especially in the quarter final win over Brazil, had me expecting he would move on for a more substantial fee and to a tier one club.

Celtic put the For Sale sign up for Josip since before he headed to Qatar, unusually announcing they were unable to agree a new contract for a player with 3.5 years left on his current deal.  He was given the responsibility of going to-to-toe with Neymar, a test he passed with merit.  Still, there are no big bidders.

Despite the balance on his contract, with his replacement already starting at right back (and looking like an upgrade), we are at peak value for Josip, so should move him on.  Potential buyers will be less keen to cough up a large fee if he has been playing backup or putting in mixed performances at left back.

The fee is less of a disappointment than the lack of interest from a top club.  Kieran Tierney remains the only player to have left Celtic to a genuinely wealthy side since Henrik (Lyon were close).  Kieran, a genuine talent, has had mixed success in London and his most often second choice left back at Arsenal.  This is not helpful to Celtic.

For Celtic’s business model to flourish, we need to punch the same weight as Dutch and Portuguese sellers.  If you are a pathway to Arsenal, Barcelona or once-removed to Liverpool (Virgil), you find it easier and cheaper to recruit players with potential.  To make any of this possible, Champions League results are necessary, performances SPFL just don’t count.  There is a lot of work ahead.

Should Premiership teams play Sweet Georgia Brown when Connor Goldson walks out of their tunnel?  If you know, you know.  Sunday’s ‘arms by his side’ nonsense at Tannadice was the worst yet.

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  1. Back in the Day Professional Footballers used to say ” Wait….til I show you my MEDALS”.

     

    In recent times its become…” Wait….til I show you my BANK ACCOUNT”.

     

     

    I do NOT BEGRUDGE any Player wanting a transfer with possible HIGHER Earnings to be had elsewhere.

     

    I dont really BLAME them.

     

     

    MAYBE, IF I was in the same position, I would want to be transferred also ?

     

    However, when I look back on MY ” Working Life”, there were at TWO OCCASIONS when I switched Jobs/Employers, for LESS MONEY.

     

    For me personnally, it was mostly about being ” HAPPY and Contented” in a Job, rather than MORE CASH ?

     

     

    HOW MANY of us have said over the Years……..” I would play for CELTIC for NOTHING” ?

     

    I KNOW I have, when I was much younger…..However, being aged 67….I would STILL gladly be PAID NOTHING….for the chance of wearing the Hoops and walking out The Celtic Park Tunnel, and kicking the Ball at LEAST ONCE, before being SUBBED !

     

    LOL.

     

     

    These days, I would LAP UP the Cheers of the Celtic Support, aand it would probably take me TWO Days to walk around the Pitch, before hitting the DECK….EXHAUSTED !

     

    LOL.

     

    RESULT….Probable PENALTY to RANGERS ?

     

     

    LOL

     

    HH.

  2. Good morning all from a dark, dank chilly Garngad

     

     

    So onto Kilmasonic on Saturday we go again at Hampdump and the bigot that is Laffatme, he will be out to maim our players and be left to get on with it by the cheats in black.

     

     

    Just do it Celtic.

     

     

    D :)

  3. Big Jimmy good morning.

     

     

    Thing that gets me is players come to Celtic now for 1 year or thereabouts (sign 4 year contracts) then make an impression and want away.

     

     

    I know we will always be a stepping stone to more cash but 12 to 18 month wtf.

     

     

    D :)

  4. On a more serious note….

     

    IF ANY Celtic Player wants to LEAVE Celtic FC…….Then its best to transfer them.

     

    NO POINT in keeping an UNHAPPY Player at Celtic Park.

     

     

    I DONT CARE WHO YOU ARE CFC.

     

     

    I can clearly remember Lisbon Lion ” WILLIE O’NEILL” R.I.P., often telling me that ” Pulling The Hoops Jersey over his Heid, was the BEST FEELING EVER”….Who am I to disagree ?

     

    HH

     

    HH.

  5. DAVID66 on 10TH JANUARY 2023 6:50 AM

     

    Big Jimmy good morning.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Thing that gets me is players come to Celtic now for 1 year or thereabouts (sign 4 year contracts) then make an impression and want away.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I know we will always be a stepping stone to more cash but 12 to 18 month wtf.

     

    ……………..

     

    You are CORRECT MATE.

     

    Although, I have said that ” I do NOT begrudge players wishing to move for MORE MONEY”…..I feel that JURANOVIC and GMAK have ONLY been here FIVE Minutes, and apparently they WANT to MOVE ?

     

    In JURANOVICS Case, I am led to believe that he STILL has around THREE and a HALF YEARS LEFT on his current contract…..but yet SUDDENLY the WAGES that HE SIGNED up for a short time ago, are SUDDENLY NOT ENOUGH ?

     

    Likewise GMAK.

     

    I dont know ” How Long” GMAKS current contract has left to run…but as I said, it feels like he has only been here for FIVE MINUTES ?

     

    HH.

  6. DAVID66 on 10TH JANUARY 2023 6:50 AM

     

    ……………

     

    Do you think that you will be available for the NEXT wee Bevvy session a WEEK on FRIDAY ( 20th January) ?

     

    Its in EAST KILBRIDE, but BRRB and I are planning on meeting in the SHIPPY, and getting a Taxi to the Pub in EK.

     

    LEGGY has organised this wee Bevvy session.

     

    Let me know IF you can make it ?

     

    HH mate.

  7. VAR SUMMIT next Week….

     

     

    Amid ALL the explanations that Celtic may seek next week regarding penalties awarded to opponents thru Refs and VAR in relation to HAND BALL etc…I HOPE that Celtic ALSO raise the ” Penalty” issue when CARL STARFELT was judged to Fouled SAKAL of thr Huns last week….when there WAS CLEAR VAR Evidence available that it was The HUN Player who had IN FACT Committed the Foul….NOT CARL ?

     

    WHY, wasnt this referred to VAR ?

     

     

    HH

  8. Happy hooooooopy birthday to

     

    PRESTONPANS BHOY. have a great day.

     

    Belated birthday wishes to the MOD.

  9. A summit of Scottish football figures with the aim of resolving issues around VAR and the handball rule is expected to take place next week. (Record) – BBC Scotland Sport

     

     

    Venue: Lodge No. 1690

     

    Time and date: tbc

  10. Re: wantaway Giakoumakis

     

     

    Closest comparison is the other Greek George…..Samaras.

     

     

    Samaras joined on loan from Man City where he scored 5 in 16 appearances, before we bought him in 2008 and stayed until 2014, 6 years.. His record was 48 in 156 appearances. Roughly 1 goal in 3 appearances.

     

     

    Giakoumakis joined from VVV Venlo in 2021.

     

    He has scored 19 in 40 appearances. Again roughly 1 goal in 2 appearances. Barring injury he would go on to beat big Sammy return……if he honoured his contract.

     

     

    One honoured his contract and it looks like one won’t.

     

     

    So what has happened at Celtic to allow this change of heart? I’m guessing it’s all about the money…..

  11. Tom McLaughlin on

    The window’s been open 10 days now. Why has nobody been signed? Typical biscuit tin mentality.

  12. So Charlie Nicholas agrees with Michael Beale about Celtic being lucky to have more money to spend on players,well over the years the lying media have told us that Sevco have spent just as much as Celtic,also them paying big bucks to players on loan,it’s one thing getting shafted by the MSM in this country,but ex Celtic players telling lies,tells me they are a bunch of cowards ,who will not rock the boat when it comes to Sevco,and possibly a few in our boardroom to.

  13. I see the bold Charlie is once again doing his bit to stay in the MSM loop by trashing his Celtic reputation !?…is that one or two ladles of soup Charles !? 😡

  14. I don’t get at times with this club I have supported for over 70 years,Why do we have to sell two of our influential players in this transfer window,I say don’t mess us about you are staying here ,at least till the next transfer window this summer,has anyone at the club really stated why these pair want to leave the club

  15. Mcphail bhoy …re the date and location of said meeting are you not aware it’s a secret ?…are you not a travelling man ? 🤣

  16. I’ve no doubt ange will be aware of the Korean lads position . If he wants him we will get him imho .

  17. “The race for South Korea World Cup star Cho Gue-sung has led to another twist after Minnesota United launched a £4.2m bid his services – according to a report.”

     

     

    Looks like his agent is playing a good game.

  18. Prestonpans bhoys on

    Thanks for the birthday wishes, my task now is to leave my caravan in the Trossachs and be in an Edinburgh bar at 1 pm🍺🍹🫙🧉

  19. The SPFL provides a route to Serie A for younger players so SPFL games count in that market. Celtic should be in that game as well as in adding value to players acquired from other leagues.

     

     

    JJ is potentially on his last big fee transfer and Celtic are not selling potential therefore, but the finished article – a different proposition. Maybe hold the nerve a while longer as there’s three weeks to go in this window, but JJis at peak value and we should sell.

  20. CARPE DIEM 63 on 10TH JANUARY 2023 9:43 AM

     

    Mcphail bhoy …re the date and location of said meeting are you not aware it’s a secret ?…are you not a travelling man ? 🤣

     

    ______________________________________________________________________

     

     

    You haven’t seen me, right?

  21. PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 10TH JANUARY 2023 10:11 AM

     

    Thanks for the birthday wishes, my task now is to leave my caravan in the Trossachs and be in an Edinburgh bar at 1 pm🍺🍹🫙

     

    ……………..

     

     

    Watch out….BRRB will be there before in that Edinburgh Pub !

     

     

    LOL

     

    HH. Happy Hoopy Birthday again mate.

  22. Amazon plans to shut three UK warehouses in move that will impact up to 1,200 jobs

     

     

    Amazon has launched consultations over the closure of three UK warehouses

     

    Sites in Hemel Hempstead, Doncaster and Gourouck proposed for closure

     

    It is understood all workers will be offered roles at other Amazon locations

  23. Its not luck Michael. Good, talented, experienced managers, get jobs working for better companies than young, inexperienced unproven ones. He’s obviously fitting in very well there because it takes a special lack of awareness and crazy entitlement to think he should be in the same situation as Ange. How is it unfair that Ange and Celtic should have a bigger football budget than the Huns? What have the Huns, and more importantly, Beale ever won that entitles them to the same as us?

     

     

    To put us in the financial position we are in today has taken twenty years of hard, unpopular work. Careful, long-term strategic planning. Life in the slow lane, where’s the Seville money, not backing managers, debt nutters, lack of ambition, cash rich, low-ambition, not speculating to accumulate, project buying, biscuit tin penny pinching parsimony.

     

     

    People talk about the greatest ever fenian being the cause of the downfall of Rangers. He was merely the comedy final act, by that stage they were doomed. Murray had put them dangerously in debt trying to keep up with us financially, they were cheating. The global banking crisis finished off better run businesses than Rangers, once the bank wanted their money back and put their man on the board to run the company, and the cheating was exposed they were finished. Not unlucky, just stupid.

     

     

    They started again, they chased the snake, again, they made all sorts of stupid decisions, again, and they had to put £100m of their own money in to stay alive. Then the next major shock came, the global pandemic nearly finished them off again, a big cash injection saved them again. No outside investment, no contingency for events beyond their control, just more cash. Now, the music has stopped. Uefa are keeping a close eye on them, the cash seems to have dried up, they’ve decked up their asset management, their commercial deals are a mess. They’ve just had the best year they’ll ever have financially and they had no serious money to spend on the team. It looks like boring old sustainability is the order of the day.

     

     

    Two financial crises in the last 20 years, one death, one near-death.

     

     

    But Celtic, lucky Celtic, seem to have come out of both stronger. We were affected, like every other business on the planet, by the banking crisis, but we also had the added disadvantage of losing the Huns from the league, with the drop in revenues that brings.

     

     

    The pandemic affected football clubs as much as just about any other businesses, but Celtic came through it with no extra expensive debt, no cashflow issues. Our losses were as low as anybody’s among the big clubs. We were even able to get though a disastrous season on the pitch and a coupe of transfer windows where we wasted millions on players with no residual value.

     

     

    Put aside that their last set of accounts suggested they spend roughly similar amount as we did on our football department based on the sustainability criteria Uefa are using these days. You wouldn’t necessarily expect a football manager to understand the finer details, although he does seem to know everything about everything else. Or the impact of decisions taken twenty years ago and more recently by the people running both clubs. He’s a football guy, long term thinking isn’t their forte.

     

     

    What he should really be concentrating on is why his employers aren’t able to provide him with he funds to rebuild his team and compete with us, while Ange had a big pile of cash to do it. And he isn’t in the “lucky” position Ange is.

     

     

    You make your own luck, Michael. Start winning stuff and see what happens.

     

     

    I overheard a social conversation once between a few people and a very successful and quite well-known businessman. One of the people was asking him about his job and asked him “so, when did you get your lucky break.” The businessman was a bit taken aback but had the humility not to burst out laughing.

     

     

    Michael Beale, thats you that is

  24. PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 10TH JANUARY 2023 10:11 AM

     

     

    BRRB…Will be there before YOU in that Edinburgh Pub !

     

    They seek him there….They seek him everywhere…

     

    BRRB is the ” MILK TRAY” Man….only for him he’s The BEER TRAY Man.

     

    LOL

     

    HH

  25. Happy Birthday Prestonpans Bhoys.

     

     

    Timbhoy, we can’t keep buying Players & selling nobody, there are obvious Financial implications of a bloated wage bill, there are also issues with unhappy players not even getting into matchday squad poisoning the squad morale & rising stars like Rocco Vata & Bosun Lawal would see no future and would be following Ben Doaks & other starlets out of the Club,

     

     

    In my opinion if players are unsettled & for whatever reason want to leave the Club then we should sell them if we receive a satisfactory bid,

     

     

    However the caveat is that we have suitable cover for their position.

     

     

    Right now we have Johnston in, who is a direct replacement for Juranovic so no problem there, however Gio is a different story, wouldn’t want him to go unless we have a new Striker signed sealed & delivered.

  26. SAINT STIVS on 10TH JANUARY 2023 10:33 AM

     

    ‘Amazon plans to shut…..’

     

     

     

    ###

     

     

    I think ‘is shutting’ would be a more accurate way of putting it.

     

     

    They were forced into paying a market rent for their Gourock premises a couple of years ago. No doubt that will have have had an influence on their decision.

  27. Corkcelt

     

     

    Good points; last year was about getting a team on the park to compete, hence the older player profile. The downside is that they may want to move on quickly or their value drops rapidly if they stay.

     

     

    We need to be trading again to bring in young blood ; like engineering companies have trainees coming in during redundancies (long vs short term).

     

     

    In addition, I would note that we have quite a lot of assets out on loan who we need to deal with at the end of the season – Ajeti, Soro, Barkas et al

  28. Buy online now

     

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