I think we all like Mikael Lustig. This week the defender spoke to the Norwegian media, expressing frustration at the lack of clarity surrounding his future. Celtic have an option to retain him next season, but in January brought in a hoped-for loan replacement, Jeremy Toljan.
Toljan did not work out but the club are clearly still looking for a new right back. I am not sure when Celtic’s option expires, but If they get a satisfactory replacement, Mikael will be allowed to leave, if not, he will stay.
This is the football business. It is harsh, even more so for young players released before they make a significant living from the game, of for those from an earlier generation, who achieved greatness and found themselves without money or a trade in their 30s.
Players will often talk about their “love” for a club, but that love is invariably wrapped up in a lucrative contract. The love becomes a fondness if offered a wage that would be regarded as spectacular to most fans.
I really like Mikael and I know we need cover for every position, but even the good guys sometimes have to wait under the terms of their contract for a decision, and they all need to move on one day.
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Before Desmond brought Rodgers in the club were not making money, breaking even at best, the stands were half full at games, we were not wining trebles even without the huns in the league, I didn’t hear all this well run crap back then, amazing how a couple of years of spin and the support swallow the garbage of being well run.
The man who is responsible for the “well run club” tag has been chased, how long before the worm turns Eh.
Well run?
Domestically, we continue to win leagues against an array of clubs who have a fraction of our resources. And on the pitch we’re now on a par with our newest/oldest, closest rival.
In Europe, we’ve recently underperformed against teams from slightly stronger leagues but (again) rather less money than ourselves.
Not unconditional success if we apply a slightly more nuanced approach than ‘we’ve just won 8IAR, what more do you want?’
HH jg
David Turnbull fee agreed
And we’re off……
@ CELTIC40ME on 12TH JUNE 2019 6:10 PM
“Right, so eight leagues in a row, a treble treble, a sold out ground, a squad with some very coveted and valuable players, a profitable business despite having a wage bill that is significantly than our nearest rival, and a great big pile of cash in our bank account, all down to other people?
What is it exactly that’s been so awful in the last few weeks of unprecedented success that nullifies all of the above?”
Man United won the league in Fergie’s last year and have subsequently not won the league. Madrid won 4 of the last 5 CLs and then had one of their worst seasons (domestically) in their history. Both lost important figures; we have similarly lost one of the best managers in our history.
I mention the above, not because I think Celtic will not win the league next year (although it is no guarantee at present), but because past success does not inexorable lead to future success. Success has to be continually earned and to some extents, you are only as good as your last mistake.
Certainly, will any of us take solace in a league defeat this year by reminiscing on 8 in a row?
As for the rest of your statement, so much is at Brendan’s door: the trebles, the sold out stadium and the huge bank balance all coincided with him arriving and working at the club. Do we have such short memories that we cannot remember the days under Ronny? As none of the above were applicable during his tenure.
Well done Celtic & it’s only day 2 of window. Hopefully that might calm things down a bit.
So Turnbull fee agreed, Rekeem Harper next and maybe Christopher Julienne, 26 year-old defender with Toulouse!
Until we meet again…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
woo woo Lennybhoy..
Love you big fella….
Lennybhoy
‘I just think you’re nice…’
???
Hearing that NL has spoken to Kris Commons about a return to the club.
Would he be welcomed back by all fans?
HH
Father jack
its a long standing theme,the well run club
As old as the blog itself
:-)
HH
CELTIC40ME on 12TH JUNE 2019 6:10 PM
Right, so eight leagues in a row, a treble treble, a sold out ground, a squad with some very coveted and valuable players, a profitable business despite having a wage bill that is significantly than our nearest rival, and a great big pile of cash in our bank account, all down to other people?
What is it exactly that’s been so awful in the last few weeks of unprecedented success that nullifies all of the above?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Erm!….Peter Lawwell.
CALL ME GERRY on 12TH JUNE 2019 6:53 PM
Hearing that NL has spoken to Kris Commons about a return to the club.
Would he be welcomed back by all fans?
———-
Regardless of his nonsense on the telly we need better than unqualified KC in the backroom team. Feels a bit tacky really.
Excellent news tonight on David Turnbull, and a fair fee as well.
Motherwell claim it significantly improves on their current club record; in fact, when you adjust for inflation it’s actually less than we paid for O’Donnell and so we’ve won a watch here and no mistake.
As to Kris Commons returning … keep that man as far away from our staff as it’s possible to get. He’s not remotely qualified for starters and we’re a professional football club, not a one-stop-shop for Neil Lennon’s pals. I don’t see anyone at Celtic sanctioning this in a million years.
………meanwhile in a small corner of cyberland somewhere…………….. angrycelts.org…(a WhatsApp group for the belligerent and the bewildered) wull no’ be happy.
Zataw? CSC
What if Kris Commons has his coaching badges? Unlike a certain SPFL Manager, i would take him back no problem.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 12TH JUNE 2019 6:42 PM
You’re making all sorts of assumptions about future failure as an argument for the club being poorly run. We haven’t failed yet, far from it. I would suggest that all the metrics point to a well run club. Certainly not a poorly run club.
I don’t think anyone would deny the impact that BR had on the club, but to suggest that our recent successes are all down to him, and achieved in spite of rather than with the help of the club is really simplistic. You’re not slow to pick people up for binary arguments, it’s a perfect example of it.
Bankiebhoy1 :-)
LENNYBHOY on 12TH JUNE 2019 6:47 PM
Thumbs up
James Forrest, james long time no speak, not really seen much of turnbull, do you rate him.hh.
https://specialevents.celticfc.net
ST Holders ,get your photo taken with the Treble Trophies, you need to book it through website
@CELTIC40ME on 12TH JUNE 2019 7:13 PM
I wasn’t assuming future failure. I was stating that past success does not guarantee future success (hence references to Madrid and United which I am drawing a parallel to the “8IAR/treble treble chat”).
The reason that my argument is binary in relation to saying that Brendan brought success is because I cannot see how our club changed in the way that it was run between the Brendan and the Ronny era.
Can you evidence any changes? The wage bill grew (as our players became more valuable and would have received bonuses which were not awarded during Ronny’s era), but I cannot see any appreciable change in the way the club was run. Therefore, any success has to be attributable in the main to Brendan and not the executives.
If I agree with your argument (that Brendan was important but others played large important roles), then in naturally follows that we should expect to experience similar success to the last three years in the coming years: trebles, participation in Europe post-Christmas etc. Are you confident of those outcomes?
Celtic40me,,
I aim to debunk the well run club and other myths in my next article which is looking like going up this Saturday.
You’re welcome to take me to task on it should you wish to or feel moved to.
For what it’s worth imo we win now mostly by default of being the biggest fish in the pond and our current suits did not achieve that they bought us that way. The bunnet set us on a great financial course but a poor governance one.
To conquer with approx 3 times the budget is hardly a feat worth shouting from the heavens about.
Beating a richer team over the course of a campaign would be a laudable feat,,and thats why we will never hear the end of it if we drop a league here.
Hail Hail
BIG PACKY 1 on 12TH JUNE 2019 7:16 PM
James Forrest, james long time no speak, not really seen much of turnbull, do you rate him.hh.
Only what he’s seen on Sportscene….
Some of you guys are so wicked… :-)
BADA BING, ill take your word for it.hh.
Great to get a fee for David Turnbull sorted.
Well done Celtic.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 12TH JUNE 2019 7:32 PM
@CELTIC40ME on 12TH JUNE 2019 7:13 PM
The reason that my argument is binary in relation to saying that Brendan brought success is because I cannot see how our club changed in the way that it was run between the Brendan and the Ronny era.
If we’re comparing the two eras surely it’s only fair to include Lenny’s previous time as boss as well? Domestic success, good season ticket sales despite not having them in the league, last 16 of the champions league and profits of 9 and 11 million in his last two years. Success on and off the pitch in anyone’s book surely and achieved with a manager who apparently is leading us into failure
Well said Mahe
James Forrest has added more value to this blog than any of the lowlifes on here who constantly bait him
CELTIC CHAMPS ELECT, with respect ,do you know any more than james forrest does as regards what goes on in the boardroom.hh.
Don’t think Turnbull’s name was on leaked memo so I wouldn’t pay too much heed to the rest of it,This looks like a great bit of business done early, hopefully the personal deal can be hammered out quickly and the deal finalised.
I also hope this is a Statement of intent by Celtic and is followed up with a right back, a centre half & a Striker.
There has been a huge exodus, with De Vries, Izzy, Gamboa, Allan, Lustig (probably) & Boyata plus 4 loanees & if the papers are to be believed N’tcham is also offski, so we need a few in pronto.
Big Packy @ 6.59
Agreed re Commons
Not sure I want him anywhere near our squad.
I can’t erase the image of his very public strop against our manager when getting subbed.
Hardly role model material
HH
CHARLIEMAC, well said sir, now you will get a shower of abuse,.but just rise above it.hh.
It’s an open mic set…………………….
;)
:0
:))))))))))))))))))))
Gobsmackin’ CSC
HH.
Sorry – reply was to Big Wavy
…too many big ‘uns in here :-)
HH
“This is the football business. It is harsh”
Exactly what i said about Lenny being retained as manager without our ‘well run club’ going through a full and exhaustive search for a modern football coach to continue what BR had started. It is indeed strange that the oul ‘business is harsh’ line only pertains to players and not managers at Celtic PLC. I tend to be of the opinion the Mika was ,probably, verbally offered a deal to stay for another season –be that from BR or NL but Pistol Pete has chosen to ignore this and offer him a contract on much reduced terms. Hence Mika stating “It could have been handled differently, in terms of what has been said and what happened.”
Now Mika has had his critics of late but he remains the only credible RB we have on our books. Which in itself is yet another example of how Celtic isn’t as well run as some would have us believe. How many seasons have we been looking for a quality RB and yet we have a 32 year old nearing the end of his contract an untried 20 year old in Ralston and Perez another 20 year old who is currently playing in the American version of the highland league as our RB options and this a few weeks before vital CL qualifiers. Magnificent forward planning by all involved.
Now it seems that we may be making a couple of signings in the immediate future, the young bhoys from Motherwell and WBA. TBH neither overly excite me as both players are relatively untested. Hopefully some experienced quality may be added in the coming weeks. One thing I am fairly confident in predicating is that should ML leave we will not be signing someone of the same quality as him as his replacement.
HH Mika Lustig. Celtic invincible legend. YNWA
Velcome turnbull, any Turnbull I’ve ever met’s been a good ‘un.
Call Me Gerry…”too many big ‘uns in here :-)”
………………………………………………………………………
For that reason I decided not to call myself Big Weebobbycollins…