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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Just when it’s safe to get in the water. Meet Dec. WTF. Stop. HH.
Ceaser67 – i am no hun. hun is the worst thing you can call a fellow celtic man. i have just finished cleaning my celtic sovvy ring would a hun have one of those? no. looking a bit daft now eh?
One is slagging Lourdes and the other is within spitting distance of a priest, I am away back to the pub.
Host on Newsnight Scotland is a fud,4th year debating champion somewhere.
Ernie
Before ye have a go at me for the SNP election win, its no my part of Hamilton :)
My dear,dear,dear,friend.. Paddy Gallagher.
Pal..ye hiv the right idea..
Ah like yer style.
Hiv wan fur me, tae/
Kojo
yer pal.. who likes ye aloater.
All hail hail to the Declan – tell it like it is mate. I salute yer indefagitableness!
HH
TTTT
mhaddog Is Mise Niall Lennon
It was horrendous this morning and afternoon but not quite on the scale of the day you mention but bloody hell it was pretty close at times today. These extreme weather conditions are happening way too often for my liking as this is the second time since that fateful day and I pray we never have a repeat of the tragedy in South Uist.
HH
Estadio Nacional says:
8 December, 2011 at 22:57
My daughter has just shown me a youtube vid shot by someone in the central belt, of their trampoline sailin down the road
weans wurnae attached
Happy birthday CRC.
TET
I reckon there are 6 versions of Kojo
Kojo
Big Joe
The Singing Detective
Collie
plus another 2 of whom I have my suspicions.
MWD
Justice Tonight ABC on saturday. HH.
tommytwiststommyturns – you are a gentelman. you also have the best name on the blog was my favourtie celtic song apart from di canio. than one is brilliant when you are full of the eldorado
TTTT
At least this one gives us a laugh from time to time!
MWD
You forgot to add MWD to your list.
That’s what madness does to you!
goodnight cqn looking forward to Saturday
H H
We.need all with Kano.1000 in their name by 10.30 pm CP tommorow. Are you all up for it Bhoys. Any sponsors out there????
Kingoh
How do I go about making an application?
Moonbeams WD
Is it me one of those two suspects?
My style and grammar is strange and only few understand what I’m writing about?
Hey, you lot, leave Kojo alone, he is entitled to an opinion as are we all. Some posts are below the bawbag and are quite Hun like?.
Kojo, i’m yir pal who likes yi mairer an mairer.
JD
CRC,
sorry chief… just noticed… HAPPY BIRTHDAY
wots the number – or would that be an ecumenical matter?
PaddyG
Two years ago to the day I was returning from britland driving, the sat nav thing took me way way away from where I wanted to go, I ended up in Lourdes, it was snowing wet snow, the worst kind imo, arrived there about midnight, and on seeing all the Vegas tat I thought that a bed for the night was asured, not a chance, tis a terrible thing they have done to the place.
Thanks for keeping it real Declan:)
Floating Charge Friday fast approaching…who knows what tomorrow brings?
. I was the one who first spotted you when used the LOYAL word shun!! Now off to bed with you and teddy broxi. Your loyal education is still letting you down shun.
Try and start a sentence in higher case as I told you to do the other day!! ps I never called you a “hun”. Not in my vocabulary.
MWD
Wee Dec prompted me to post that, or am I doing wee Dec a diservice ?
HT
Go to http://www.thekanofoundation.com and complete an online application or e mail contactus@thekanofoundation.com .
Mr Z
No. I know your as sound as a pound Amigo. ;o)
KINGHO
Na. Nae chance. Could you imagine me spelling words the way those guys do. You know? Correctly.
MWD
And I agree with the others btw :>)
Ceaser67 – you know things are bad when it is spelling and gramer that is being picked on especially by somebody who cant spell son. i am a good celtic man. i have celtic sovvys, sit in the north stand right beside the green brigade and have loads of celtic tattoos. how many celtic tattoos do you have?
tootingtim – thanks for that. alot of folk give me a lot of hassle but they wont chase me form here
Mon the hoops! lenny for 1 in a row 2012
i think the refs shoud be demoted if they make a decision that means that a player is sidelined for a couple of games.
Its only fair, isn’t it. Aluko will be short of his match bonus. The incompetant Conroy will no doubt get another bumper SPL fixture with expenses, chicken in a basket and fee.
MWD
Excellent point. Kojo couldn’t even deliberately spell as badly as you.
My dear,dear,dear,friend.. The Legend of Johnny Doyle.
Pal.
Thanks fur the Nod..
Howevahh..
YE hiv tae be careful.. when ye say a Good Woid Aboot Me…
Fur..,
The Sweetie Wife’s oan here wull by adding Yer Name the
Cockamamie List they hiv..of . all o’ Kojo’s Aliases..
Think Ah’ M Kidding.??
Ah am Deid Pan Serious!
Kojo
yer pal.. who likes ye a loater
Kojo
Each to his own. I don’t think I’m ready for a face-to-face with the priest. I’ll be happy if I can improve on my average of once-per-year at confession.
I’m still scarred by the time when as a 10 year old I went to confession in St. Monica’s, Coatbridge and told Fr. Devanney (RIP) all my worst sins only for him to say, ” That’s fine SadiesBhoy. For your penance I’d like you to say …….”.
Just logged on and read back. Seems Juko thinks I was “excoriating” towards him. Truth to tell, I was being lenient. As for the offer of telling me a psychological reason for my antipathy towards him–bring it on. I studied psychology myself as part of a degree for four years. So–don’t hold back, Juko–let er rip.
Mr Stimpson
Naw, Mr Conroy will be getting Soup in a Basket, punishment is harsh these days at the sectarian fa or didn’t you know that ?????
Come to think of it, you could come on here pretending to be Polish with a wee bit of broken English and throw in a couple of players that nobody has ever heard of (apart from WGS)!
Vegas, Warsaw, The Hurlet…..who knows?!! Lot of crazy MoFos out there, thank feck me and Declan are keeping it real on here….
HH
TTTT
TET
Still trying to suss Decy. His Parody of Cultsbhoy is do good I actually think it is
….
….
Wait for it…
CULTSBHOY.
MWD
Ok Bhoys copy this but take away the quotation marks when you post
“♥ ” Kano
Goodnight
808 – Pacific State.
Just listen to it.
Calm yer beans.