There should be lessons for Celtic from what happened to three forwards who started last month playing in Belgium. Anderlecht’s Kasper Dolberg seemed to be on the hook for a move to Celtic, but he was a player in demand. That has consequences.
Kasper and his agent knew that players in demand often receive bids late in the window. Why would they move before everyone has shown their hand? While Celtic tried to get the deal over the line, Ajax moved in with an offer. The player had a choice and chose to go back to the Netherlands. This is not an exception, players will often make choices like this rather than come to Scotland.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha had a good season at Royal Antwerp. With a deal to Celtic in the offing, Balikwisha’s agent had a duty to offer him everywhere north of Scottish football in the food chain. We can assume that Michel-Ange had little prospect of a bite, so signed with Celtic.
The lesson: try to recruit top players with years’ experience in highly scouted leagues and you will often fail. If they have offers from better leagues, they will go there rather than come to Scotland.
A year after Genk paid Celtic £2.4m for Hyeon-gyu Oh, he was subject to a €28m bid from Stuttgart. Reports on why the deal fell through are vague: a medical issue was reported, promoting Stuttgart to reduce their offer to €20m, which Genk declined.
There are so many lessons from Hyeon-gyu Oh’s year in Belgium it is painful to go over them. We had a player in the building who did not get the development support at Celtic which was available to him at Genk. Adam Idah was the recipient of that help, which resulted his sale on Monday for a £2m loss. You can get recruitment perfect, but if you don’t get development right, you are wasting your time.
If we want a striker who Stuttgart are prepared to pay around €20m for, we will not find them in Belgium. Recruitment is difficult, requires proper resourcing and absolutely cannot be done well working the agent circuit.
Scottish football is about to get a lesson on how it’s done by Tony Bloom’s Hearts. If we persist in trying to sign top strikers from Anderlecht, they will soon overtake us.
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I’m inclined to give whoever (Suits and/or Brendan) a pass on the Adam Idah situation.
I’m feeling sanguine about the whole thing now … although I’ve no doubt there’s a sliver of bitterness kicking around somewhere in my head.
Facts are facts.
In just 14 months, Adam checked out of two different clubs, first mentally then physically.
Very difficult situation to manage.
Obvious lesson for our club to learn.
(Hint – Swansea haven’t learned it ! )
” celtic40me on 4th September 2025 8:44 pm
This whole window has been a real head scratcher for everyone ”
Seems to me that the majority who post on CQN have heads that remain scratch-free.
`night all.
CELTIC40ME on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2025 9:59 PM
EKBHOY on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2025 9:49 PM
Dolberg’s agent said there was an agreement with Anderlecht that he could go at a certain price, but that the “right club” never materialized
Perhaps we were never Mr Right but we tried and it looks like we only moved on to our second choice when he decided to go back to his happy place.
Maybe we had Iheanacho lined up before, or as well, but a free agent freed up on deadline day doesnt scream forward planning to me
….
Reading the ruins Dolberg wasn’t coming and I agree forward planning is a stretch but modern football is nuts we may have won a watch , who knows .
Justwishdaizendidntblazetheballovercfc
CELTIC40ME on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2025 9:59 PM
….
Good to chat , cot time now
HH
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2025 10:00 PM
Swansea have got a decent deal, theyve got a decent championship level striker for less than the reported fee. Lots more football in him and still some sell on value, which obviously matters
He’s probably going to go back to bring a second choice there, I think the first choice has stayed and started scoring, but 5 or 6m is peanuts if it gets yiu into the playoffs
Celtic40me @ 9:45 pm,
Well, if he is – they should sack the Board
And if he’s not – they should sack the Board
Hail Hail
HOT SMOKED on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2025 10:05 PM
:). Hair free certainly – I count myself amongst them (nearly)
EKBhoy @ 9:55 pm,
Well not sure of mechanics.
Could be we didn’t get Kelechi in January ’cause we wouldn’t pay his wages.
On the second of September, we might have said… oh bargain, where do we sign.
Anyways Kelechi is just the sort of player we need – Arne and Benji and KT all looking better already
Hail Hail
EKBHOY on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2025 10:09 PM
The finest of margins, football eh?
Good night
!!BADA BING!! on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2025 8:02 PM
Football’s Financial Shame on BBC iplayer well worth a watch,and no it’s not about the Celtic Board……Tommy Johnson among a lot of high profile ex players who got scammed, and HMRC are after them all for around £1.6 million each,a tough watch at times
Bada
Watching the above programme on your recommendation…
2nd player up is Rod Wallace….ex Rangers EBT beneficiary….hard to feel sorry for that dude being scammed when he scammed the government himself….
I do feel sorry for the others mind you…
I note that there is a remake of the ‘war of the roses’ film out. Micheal Douglas and Kathleen Turner now played by Benedict Cumber
1.08 vinniethedog
Thanks for the medical advice.
You will be telling me next I should have taken the Covid vaccine
lol.
Sorry…..Cumberpatch and Olivia Colman. A reminder of what happens when love is lost and replaced by anger and revenge. The final climatic scene in the Celtic version is where the couple (BR and DD) are sitting in mahogany panelled stately dining room, crisp white tablecloth, high backed chairs, porcelain dinnerware and crystal glasses when the stooped butler shuffles across the huge expanse of Persian rug to set before them the main course, lifts the silver cloche, to reveal Callum’s right calf, cooked to perfection.
There ensues an almighty battle, bottles of of the finest wine are heaved from one end to the other, chandeliers plummet from ornate ceiling roses as the staff look on in horror. But not once do the protagonists think about the children.
You couldn’t make it up.
Investing in movies is a BIG gamble…I had a friend many moons ago who was a manager in a chain video rental store. This chain decided to invest in a British film production starring Peter Ustinov. The chain were promised the film would be a sure fire blockbuster and that they would earn fortunes….
They offered their store managers a piece of the action for financial investment in the film….my pal went all in…needless to say the film bombed and made £0 at the box office…video rental sales of the film were non existent so all involved lost their entire investment….
As did a lot of these players…
New build property investment…particularly abroad is another big gamble…the players were very badly advised….
GM- not spewing anything, away and lie down
31003- you wonder why nobody at HMRC will take hold of this case, particularly when City of London Police have said they are still classed as victims ? Howard Wilkinson looks bad in all of this…..
Agreed…..do you think he was on a commission of sorts?……certainly looks like it….
dearie me
that is a poor read back
tax avoidance via ebt . or into films. or just stop paying corporations tax Celtic plc.
just pay tax when you earn the income.
feck me
we are not the rangers or murray
Bada
Just at the end of the programme….i now feel sorry for Rod Wallace…..these poor guys highlighted are losing their minds….and I’m sure there are plenty more not in the limelight going through the same thing….
these poor guys are losing their minds having tried to hide millions to avoid paying tax.
try claiming back uniform allowance while earning 20k a year.
Heartbreaking stuff….i hope they all remain strong…
mccann and barry had to give their wives all the money . get divorced dissolved their business interests and get declared be bankrupt. just to avoid paying back the ebt
stephen Thompson is self employed.
still the bbc helps them out.
Chris Williamson
@DerbyChrisW
Aug 31
“The Palestinian resistance represents the best of humanity, unlike the Israeli military that’s made up of “ill-trained racist cowards.”
This must-read article by @JohnWight1 includes the PFLP’s moving solidarity letter with Irish republicans in 1981.”
johnwight1.medium.com/the-pa…
https://twitter.com/DerbyChrisW/status/1962191759368151084#m
Re Kelechi, I posted this in the previous thread
“We throw Brendan a few scraps, then criticise him for accepting.
I guess we don’t need to wait for the contract end to determine the narrative on this one. Get the blame in early. Usual target”
Must admit, I was surprised with how quickly the theory was proven
“Huge pressure on Iheanacho to succeed now
celtic40me on 4th September 2025 9:46 pm
Very much a “Brendan signing”. Let’s hope hes fit and firing from the start”
Clearly, the not so sharp suits have decided that, if you say nothing, you can’t be blamed for something. Seems to be working.
This week’s RGC pod worth a listen
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6CjS4vSmEezgYWFEzUX4YS?si=4B74lU4LRR-pVHjMyHoNug
Apparently Ihneacho was a BR masterplan all along, rather than a desperation move
Yeah that seems realistic 🙄
The blind faith rewrite of history has begun. The transfer window went exactly as planned. We, the fans, are just too stupid to notice.
Oh and just to be clear we are stronger now than last season 💪
Where is all the concern coming from ?
Kev is becoming a voice of reason on here.
For what its worth
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNyYA9WRE5H/?igsh=MXM4OHIxM3htZXUzOQ==
HH
Johnny Thomson
28th January 1909- 5th September 1931
May you rest in peace.
Thanks to Bawheid on SC for the reminder.
Billy Bragg 100 year hunger
https://youtu.be/1axjhKB96to?si=ia7teOaCqBpSGbko
HH
Timmy7
Kev j is the voice of racism on cqn,nowt else
HH
HORSE RACING HAYDOCK Yesterday….
SCROLL BY if NOT interested…. ?
I placed TWO Horse Racing Bets yesterday.
A ” LUCKY 31 ” BET….with FIVE Selections.
I had FOUR Winners at odds of 0/30, 3/1. 2/1 and 6/5.
My selection in HAYDOCKS 3.00PM Race was BEATEN.
My other Bet was for a ” LUCKY 15″ bet with FOUR Selections.
I had ONLY ONE Winner on that line….IRONICALLY it was the Winner of the aforementioned Race the HAYDOCK 3.00pm, and the Winner was at odds of 17/2.
IF ONLY….I had put the 17/2 Winner in the “L;UCKY 31” Bet…INSTEAD of the selection that was beaten to deny me FIVE outta FIVE ?
Still, I had a very nice Profit so I cant complain too much….However, I am still a wee bit annoyed with myself for being a CHUMP !
LOL.
HH.
Celtic Mac / Denia Bhoy
Re Denia Bhoy comment on who I would have liked to have seen as our head coach.
It’s a difficult one as mentioned because for me the whole structure should change with a proper board place for a football experienced and commercial DOF type role.
Celtic Mac
You are correct I was really keen on Chris Davis. I had forgotten I had mentioned that. The challenges of old age ! About 18 months ago when BR spell hadn’t started so well I mentioned it. I was ridiculed by quite few on here I recall.
I then mentioned it again about a month or 6 weeks ago and indicated I thought we might have ‘missed the boat’ there now as he was hitting his KPI’s with Birmingham.
He now has greater exposure than we could give him with EPL promotion a new target and Top 6 a KPI for this season. Amazon Prime documentary and owners including Tom Brady keeping him visible and backing within reason.
I couldn’t see him coming now sadly but a coach of his ilk working within a proper structure and backed by a top notch DOF would be a good solution.
Ref Our structure
Currently (only in my personal view) we overpay a CEO who fundamentally is a manager of a pretty efficient and risk averse commercial operation and little more than that. Salary should be halved. Responsibilities curtailed.
We have a board of proxy voters for the main parties. This could be reduced.
We have PL dealing with UEFA which is one aspect of driving for structural change but he is non exec chair for Celtic and not formally engaged for this.
So effectively we don’t have strong board representation in 3 of the most significant areas which could drive growth and success for the business / fans / shareholders etc. medium term.
1)Football Operations including recruitment and development. 2)Leading for structural change (eg Leagues / within UEFA / buying or creating feeder / sister clubs / partnerships etc). With a strong fan base and global brand we stand to gain more than most from this.
3)Coms and fan engagement is another key area we need to work on. Someone needs to be involved to address this area which is probably much more complicated than we all fully understand.
As someone with no ‘skin in the game’ it would seem these fixes are within our scope and budget to sort if we have the mindset to do it.
A Davis type coach (or lad who went to Brighton from St Pauli) could slot in well to such a structure if it was sold properly.
Just some thoughts. Thanks for reminding me re my Davis comments.
As I say my thoughts with no skin in the game and it’s easy sat overlooking the bay in San Sebastián heading out to join the practise for the regatta and not in the eye of the storm in Glasgow.
JOHNNY THOMSON….R.I.P.
So TRAGIC.
YNWA.
Gimmie a shout….IF/WHEN Celtic ever get their act together ?
I am also pissed off with Brendan for NOT having SHIN YAMADA in the EL Squad.
From what I have seen of SHIN so far, he looks a better option than Johnny Kenny.
I hope that Johnny Kenny proves me wrong ?
I will reserve judgement on KELECHI until I see him actually playing.
SACK the BOARD….The REAL CHARLATANS within Celtic FC. !
HH.
Espanyolification
Maestro on 4th September 2025 6:33 pm
https://www.facebook.com/100090371386177/videos/774300981804710/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
Maestro, reading back I came across your post above. That was a shocker, typical but a shocker nonetheless. His statement (and the delivery) at the end of the wee vid sums up what many think represents the disconnect between the fans and the Club. And, basically lying straight to the camera.
Thanks for that.
Ave Ave