Living so close to England it’s easy for us to get drawn into the ways and processes which prove effective south of the border. SPL clubs all scout there, more often than not trying to pick up physically robust scraps discarded by the lower leagues, or troubled souls looking for a sixth chance. Scottish clubs are full of players who have failed to make the grade in England.
When Motherwell were looking for a manager a year ago I heard one of their directors say they hoped to get someone with experience of the English lower leagues, as this has proven to be an effective place for them to network in the past.
Problems with the neighbours works both ways. It’s too easy for English clubs to use the loose change part of their budget to scoop up anything that looks like promising talent from the SPL. While most players will earn well in England, few enjoy the career progression they hoped for.
They do things differently elsewhere. When was the last time teams from Cyprus or Switzerland badgered an English League Two side for their surplus talent? Developing football teams is difficult but a good top level plan helps. One of the most encouraging aspects of Celtic’s top level plan is that it meets criteria that match our place in the world. Recruit talent from the right markets, at the right age and price. Some money has been spent in England, but not much, and those who have arrived from there look decent value.
If Celtic are to match the recent Champions League achievements of Basel or Apoel Nicosia, players like Izaguirre, Kayal, Wanyama and Ki, who pitch up in Glasgow from what appears to be beyond the horizon of the English, will be crucial. Just as those players at Basel and Apoel, they arrived here within an affordable budget and appear to have the talent required to compete at the level Celtic aspires to.
11 years ago we bought Chris Sutton from Chelsea against competition from other FA Premier League clubs. He was soon joined by others at the peak of their ability and reputation, all relatively low-risk signings. We had a few years in the sun but it was neither affordable nor sustainable.
We’ll know soon enough if the current crop of players trying to establish a reputation for themselves have what it takes to win the league and compete in Europe. Good top level plans can still fail in execution, but I’d rather this strategy than send my cash down the M6.
Issue 5 of CQN Magazine is due out next week, let me know if you would like to advertise, celticquicknews@gmail.com.
Read CQN Magazine for free online here. Subscriptions to the online copy are discretionary but you can contribute here. Old-school hard copies are available here from Magcloud.
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Now here’s a thing….wee Craigie postpones the AGM because he wants the tax case concluded and the papers happily peddle this line.
As I recall when he bought the club in May the plan was a tribunal in mid November with a decision 8 to 12 weeks after the event; ie decision was always going to come in 2012.
That being so, and wee Craigie knowing that, why did he not announce the AGM would be deferred very early on in his ownership.
Is it any wonder they are called the Laptop Loyal? No questions asked on this very obvious shenanigan from a wee cowboy. Amazingly the fans buy it. Astonishing.
I think the forecasters got the timing of the worst of the storm wrong, I’ve just seen a Jack Russell roll along the street in the wind. Very funny.
Anyway, charge your phone, look out some candles and matches and blankets, put batteries in a radio, charge your laptop and look out the Demolition Derby DVD.
Power is outing all over the place quite unexp
bournesouprecipe says:
Cheers,i thought PC was gubbed !
!Bada Bing!
Seen the previous post about currys,which I was going to tell you about but have a look at this.
http://www.topcashback.co.uk/cat/tv-home-theatre/
Also checkout comparison sites.
http://www.ciao.co.uk
http://www.kelkoo.co.uk
http://www.pricerunner.co.uk
http://www.shopping.com
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com
I’m looking at HD TVs as well.
Just read Sally’s comments on BBC website. He names the former ref ( Jim McCluskey) which he is not supposed to do and his comments seem to me to a lot more critical of the SFA and their processes than anything Jim McIntyre said and he got a 2 game ban.
Imagine Lenny making the same remarks and there would be a field day of calls to get him banned again – reminding us not to forget his “previous”.
Truly McCoist is an objectionable wee sh*t.
There’s a belter of a photo of a Wind Turbine exploding at the end of this series of pictures from BBC Scotland today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-16094360
BlantyreKev
It is still Hurricane Bawbags up in Noddy land as well.
Kojo
If Kayal is stolen from us for a piddling £8m…..I would like to see a midfield four of Sammi, Joe, Victor and Forrest (Fire). With Vic holding and Joe unleashed!
Joe would start to bang them in making runs beyond the forwards.
Regarding mccoist and his getting sent up before the beaks for the comments he made today.
Is it not the case that the fat binman already has a suspension in place, (which was suspended) due to the ‘shame game’ last season.
If so, not only should he be reported for todays comments, he should be hammered.
BlantyreKev was the Jack Russel chasing a ball.
Kojo you are belittling a very challenging illness, there is a significant difference between feeling down and clinical depression.
Just banter
watch the press back the cheeky chappie
Blantyre Kev was the ball
Battered Bunnet
If only we could find a way to capture and store (on a back up grid) the energy of todays slightly windy conditions we would meet all our renewable energy targets for the rest of the century in one day.
How came the Pars manager got a 2 match ban for giving his views (and was subsequently proved to be correct)?
Anybody remember the ITC manager who was ranting and raving against the ref’s decisions live on TV directly after a match, and later in the press, and was never called up to explain his conduct?
Why was Gary Hooper fined £2,000 for comments made about referees during a press conference in which he was clearly asked “leading questions”.
Will the RfC manager be called up to explain his very public lambasting of an SFA Disciplinary panel?
So many questions, we all know the answer.
Butcher slagged the ref at Inverness a few weeks ago,nothing happened to him.
jimmci says:
8 December, 2011 at 17:03
Is it any wonder they are called the Laptop Loyal? No questions asked on this very obvious shenanigan from a wee cowboy. Amazingly the fans buy it. Astonishing.
============================================
well their demographic is the “lapping it up loyal”!
Here we go again.
Now we have the omniscient Acridotheres Gracula squawking its understanding of mental disorders.
Right good laugh, isn’t it ?
Sally says after the Aluko ban
“So effectively we’ve got someone who hasn’t played professional football telling me my player is a cheat.
“It’s staggering, absolutely staggering and to say I’m angry would be a massive understatement.”
Someone needs to tell Sally that all you need in some cases is the eyes in your head to come to the right verdict
And honestly can anyone really believe that Sally can get angry I thought he was a cheeky chappie never an angry cheeky chappie.
Kojo….
There is an ever so subtle difference between “being fed-up” and “being depressed”. I sincerely hope you are referring to the former, rather than the latter otherwise you may be perceived as trivializing this awful condition.
Yer “Pal” Dushanbe (note not “Mate”, or worse “M8”) who still thinks yer fab, notwithstanding.
Lads if Neil said that there would’ve been a witchhunt so he needs banned for that outburst.
Hurricane B*wb*g
YouTube video
OMG!! Trampoline Trampoline is a must . I am getting the guys voice as my new text alert.
Clyde has burstit’s banks at Jamaica Street.
HH
Remember the quiz tomorrow night held by virgin host bjmac – remember and be gentle with me.
ko will be 9pm
hh
bjmac
Stupid Question Time (and its not from Voguepunter!!) if your TV has an HDMI port ,is it HD ready? The clue is probably in the question,got Sky HD box today and attempting self set up.4 phone calls since 1pm and still not got HD ?
bournesouprecipe says:
8 December, 2011 at 17:21
s’funny why we never see that image in the papers ( roll eyes)!
My dear,dear,dear,friend..Billy Bhoy
Pal.. Ah jist told ye the Kayal wiz valued at
Eight Milllion Cabbages..
Ah didnae tell ye.. WHO BY!
It appears the You , f’rinstance. Value Kayal . at Much Mair..
Guid fur You…
Send ye best estimate tae Peter.. Ah am sure he wull
Be Grateful.. fur yer Help.
Hey ,Pal..
There is Only WAN KINDA DEPRESSION.
If ye wanta dress it up. . and gie it a Sunday Name..’
That disnae change it’s Effect..
‘
Look..
Believe me.. It is a Perfectly NATURAL STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS..
Nothing Strange aboot it..
Because the Doctors saw the They could Get a Chance tae Push Some Pills and wrack up a Bunch of Fees tae pit their kids Thru College..’
They HID tae Come up wit that.
“CLINICAL” Adjective…
Bull Pucky! Stuff.
Ye are either DEPRESSED or ye ur HAPPY..
And. Happy is Bettah..
Next time ye get depressed kid…
Don’t Worry.. it wull Pass.
Jist Tough it oot.,.
Look at it as a LEARNING EXPERIENCE..
Kojo
yer pal..who likes ye aloater.
Thindimebhoy says:
8 December, 2011 at 17:30
Sally says after the Aluko ban
“So effectively we’ve got someone who hasn’t played professional football telling me my player is a cheat.
——————————————————————————————————————-
No doubt this is a pointer to their friends in the press to support
Must say I’m getting a bit concerned about poor Ally McCoist.
If this is how he reacts to a run of the mill suspension for one of his players: “I’m absolutely shocked and extremely angry” “It’s an absolutely incredible decision” “It’s staggering, absolutely staggering and to say I’m angry would be a massive understatement”…
…how is he going to take the news when the Tax Case ruling is published?
Bad news of the day is that Joe Ledely is still out injured, and with miss the diet’s game.
The Comfortable Collective says:
8 December, 2011 at 17:18
Excellent point. The fat man is only a few months into the job and already he is bringing the game into disrepute with his comments. Tut tut. Time for that suspension to kick in. Just in time for the 28th maybe?
“It’s staggering, absolutely staggering and to say I’m angry would be a massive understatement.” Permanently raging perhaps? Maybe there is a picture somewhere that could compliment his angry outburst…
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/2805/mccoist.png
Now THIS is funnier than the trampoline video…
“It seems to me that there are rules for some and rules for others,” said McCoist.
“There is a complete lack of continuity and consistency, you have to look at the previous incident regarding Garry O’Connor, and we do not even know if it was the same individuals on the panel.
“We took it on the chin with Steven Naismith at Dunfermline but I can also remember off the top of my head someone having a fly kick at our goalkeeper last season.
“I can also remember a goalkeeper having a go at Kyle Lafferty this season and a Motherwell player getting elbowed this season.
“Nothing has been done about any of them and O’Connor has obviously been found not guilty.
“The other thing I would like to point out is the compliance officer is a thoroughly nice man but he is a lawyer, he comes from a legal background not a football one.
“So effectively we’ve got someone who hasn’t played professional football telling me my player is a cheat.
“It’s staggering, absolutely staggering and to say I’m angry would be a massive understatement.”
“So effectively we’ve got someone who hasn’t played professional football telling me my player is a cheat”
Did Traynor play professional football?
JJ
anyway, the Forth bridges are closed, Lothian police claim it is because of aggressive winds blowing from the Gallowgate/Parkhead area of Glasgow
McCoist is falling over himself to exagerate his case.
Oh, wait a minute…
DUSHANBE BILLYBHOY says:
8 December, 2011 at 17:30
A sad old man, best ignored.
Had to have a laugh at the BBC picture of McCoist when he’s angry in comparison to the picture of Lennon when he’s “Thrilled” with a win.
Now bhoys if you ever bump into sally you don’t want to go get him angry now… Do you?… If you get him angry he’ll walk about lost and wind up his watch so you’ll have to watch out! I heard his players start to tremble when he gets out the Grandfather Clock! – no not Grandfather Walter… I did say “clock”!
BlantyreKev
Your story of a jack russell reminds me of the guy in Carluke trying to buy a dog license in the local post office – 100% genuine story, the old guys name is Jack Russell he has some kind of learning difficulty, the wee wummin in the post office kept asking him his name and when he kept repeating Jack Russell, she thought he was extracting the urine and he nearly got chucked out with no dog license. The old guy is still living, I can imagine that story every time I see him.
Reading back it might just be Carluke people that find it funny, even then itmight just be Carluke people who know old Jack, in fact on honest reflection it might just be me – thought I’d share it anyway.
hh
“It’s staggering, absolutely staggering and to say I’m angry would be a massive understatement.”
typical verbiage from Ally McShoite
Belfast Celt. Great tip at Clonmel. Thanks
‘we took it on the chin with naismith’
correct me if i’m wrong, was it not Austin McCann that took it on the chin with a flaying elbow??