Over the last few days of the European transfer window I was keen to find out what business Ajax would be able to complete (what Milan and Barca did is of scant interest). Between Friday and yesterday Ajax lost two players, Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen moved to Tottenham, and yesterday, Belgian defender, Toby Alderweireld joined Atletico Madrid.
Both were big players for the Dutch champions, who could realise €20m from the sales, but attempts to sign Ola John from Benfica and Eljero lia of Werder Bremen failed, instead they paid Heracles Almelo €2.5m for midfielder Lerin Duarte.
The Amsterdamers had a frustrating final few hours of the window. No doubt potential targets were worried about having to face three huge teams in the Champions League. In a difficult group, this is what counts as a break for Celtic. Only five games into their league season and without Champions League qualifiers to use as a yardstick, the group stage will come early for Ajax.
Living adjacent to an over-monied behemoth has considerable drawbacks as even our top clubs struggle to retain teenagers in the face of English lower league competition but such a rich market can also bring enough transfer income to make the difference between feast and famine.
The English Premier League spent £445m on transfers outside England but apart from Celtic and Hamilton Accies, who between them will earn around 4% of that total, I don’t think anyone else in Scotland got a piece of the action.
Nurturing and selling talent to England has to be a strategy for dozens of clubs here. Paying (for them) top wages to players who are no longer able to gain employment in England can only be considered a waste by comparison.
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VMhan..
Don’t know if you seem My Pist from the Other Day.. I’m on the Case and You are First in Line..
I will get back on to My Mate just Now he would Probably meet up with You great guy.. When is the HamsterJam game.. ?
Summa of FeijenoordCelticSupportersClub
The Battered Bunnet
Didn’t miss McClelland there did you? :) por cierto
The SFA could be on a collision course with Sevco over the appointment of Paul Murray and John McClelland as directors.
While their fit and proper person guidelines have been shown up by the appointments of Charles Green and Craig Whyte the laws regarding directors of clubs in insolvency events are clear cut.
Rule 10.2 (j) in the SFA’s Articles of Association excludes anyone who has been a “director of a club in membership of any national association within the five-year period preceding such club having undergone an insolvency event”.
Last night it emerged that Murray and McClelland could be appointed to the Sevco board in an attempt to avoid holding an EGM.
Both men were directors of Rangers (IL) until May 2011 and should be banned from being a director of any football club until May 2016.
With Campbell Ogilvie as President and Stewart Regan running for cover it is likely that the SFA will attempt to find a way around that ruling if recent events are any guideline.
Despite Rangers going into liquidation a highly secretive five way agreement was conjured up which attempted to place the newco into the SPL without any audited accounts.
A year after being given the red carpet treatment Sevco have still to produce audited accounts with the moves to bring in Murray and McClelland an attempt to avoid staging an EGM.
Led by Carmunock based billionaire Jim McColl a request by a group of rebel shareholders has been made for an EGM to remove three current directors and appoint Murray alongwith Frank Blin.
With briefing and spin the order of the day the usual suspects were contacted last night with news of the compromise which will see Blin and Murray appointed to the board alongwith Sandy Easdale while Craig Mather, Brian Stockbridge and Billy Smart stay on board.
An AGM is expected in October but that will only be possible if audited accounts are released for shareholders to view.
With Mather recently admitting that ‘there is £10m in the bank’ despite a share issue in December of £22m it’s debatable whether any accountant will sign off the accounts confirming that the new club is a viable going concern.
The logic and benefits of appointing two directors who signed off the accounts of a club that ended up in liquidation seem uncertain.
I have to do a minimum 50 mile round trip to every game and that’s to every home game,
Train takes you to Haymarket, ten minutes walk, no big deal
The Battered Bunnet: “Far from being fit and proper to run a football club, John McClelland is a pariah in any civil society, having at once responsibility for upholding the constitution of the SPL and the integrity of its competition, and simultaneously acting to rig the Game in favour of his own team.”
Nevertheless he is Alex Salmond’s biggest dispenser of public funds (over a billion £, I think?) and was a key part what Wee Eck said was an essential part of Scottish life.
So the pariah hasn’t done too badly, and it would not surprise me if he gets involved again with The Rangers.
Seen a few posts about Ajax away tickets. Its my understanding they are not on sale yet, please can anyone confirm? Got my flights and accommodation booked, which we did independently and not through the club.
Also, I am under the impression season ticket holder have until the 11th September to get their champ league home tickets?
Anyone better informed to put my mind at rest!
Cheers
.
I have a 25,000 Mile Round trip for Every Home game..
Sometimes for Away games l Run a Bus.. TheCQNSammiShammyNo1 and then after all that I Get ‘Lifted’ in the First 5 Mins (Of the Season).. But it was Worth it..
As the Song says.. I would walk 50 Miles to Murrayfield..
Summa of LongDistanceLoveAffairsCSC
Peter Lawell takes office at the SFA – Rangers will be turning in their grave.
setting free the bears:
Your post at 16:02 was a bold attempt to address my miserable post of earlier. However mate, you seem to have missed the point somewhat but that is not your fault, no that failure is mine for not articulating my concerns adequately.
The blog was getting me down a wee bit and I don’t want to go there again, my life is too short and sometimes I care maybe more than I should.
In addition to what I wrote can I add that there appears to be no uniting focus for the supporters and with the perceived lack of a creditable challenger petty differences are being exaggerated and contested with surplus passion.
Added to this is the erosion of trust that often appears apparent between large swathes of the support and the official incumbents. Lying, from either party, does not a happy family make.
There are traditional splits within the support, there are those who wish to mortgage the ultimate ambition and there are those who wish to see our club as an alter for the community. I’m in the latter camp but I am disgusted that with all the experience and acumen resident in our club we failed, with six months of notice, to sign a striker of quality.
Regards the huns, I don’t remember ever reading on CQN any poster who wishes the huns back in competition with us, other than what I’ve often written myself. Maybe from a distance I’m a wee bit more forgiving or maybe I’m just not that exposed to the hate that it contaminates me and my heart. My only wish would have been that they had been expelled from the professional game and worked their way back following a delousing of their corrupt and immoral practices, showing sincere contrition in the shame they refuse to acknowledge.
The fact that they were not expelled is not their fault. Like any drowning man they snatched at straws and won the log lottery when the SFA log floated to the rescue. To my mind, that should never have been allowed to happen. Never, but it did to the sound of east end silence. Now we past the problem to another generation. The problem should have been faced down, regardless of the consequences. It wasn’t and now our children will get to live a part of our dark history too.
Anyway, I’ll get back to this another day, I don’t want another dark night, but before I do go, mate, what I admire most in posts is sincerity and honesty, not the structure or the art of the argument, that is not what I come on here for, whether I agree with one side of the debate or the other. I love passion and compassion but sometimes I see the former being polluted with toxic prejudices and canyon deep preconceptions and often the latter being subjected to prejudicial caveats.
Honesty and heart mate, honesty and heart.
Why all the fuss over PL becoming an office bearer at SFA.
Sure the holders don’t play a qualifier?
I was preparing a soliloquy when I read The Battered Bunnet, 08:52.
What he said.
Now is the time to draw out a statement from the Dti on insolvency, liquidation and finality. My own guess is that there will be an insolvency case soon where RFC is held up as precedent by some phoenixing shyster. HMRC are going to have to nip that, and soon.
bournesouprecipe
09:26 on
4 September, 2013
Sure the holders don’t play a qualifier?
Oddly enough we played the equivalent of one in 1967 and went out on oor erchie.
I quite liked that stadium in Astana, couldn’t we play the qualifiers there?
oldtim67
09:03 on
4 September, 2013
I have to do a minimum 50 mile round trip to every game and that’s to every home game,
Train takes you to Haymarket, ten minutes walk, no big deal
The tram from Haymarket to Murrayfield might even be open by then!
EdinburghJokeCSC
FF and the 5-year plan:
“Last piece of the jigsaw in their 5 year plan
This Lawwell decision is the final piece of the jigsaw. A 5 year plan initiated by Peter Lawwell and one John Reid the politician who set the ball rolling with his dirty war before getting out as quickly as he got in so not to damage his political career I wonder.
In 2010 Stuart Regan is then appointed to the SFA but who appointed him? There was the rather suspicious link between Kevin Reid (guess who’s son he was) and his best buddy Paul Nolan of Nolan Partners (who helped the SFA to recruit Regan) and we now know of course that Regan and Lawwell worked together during their time as employees at Coors Brewers. We also know that Nolan Partners is still a business supplier to Celtic, and that the SFA committee tasked with finding a new Chief Executive was headed by Eric Riley, a prominent Celtic director.
Still In 2010 Reid addressed his disgruntled AGM members with ”We don’t seek special treatment for Celtic,” he said. “I have never claimed we are better than anyone else. But we won’t be treated as less than anyone else – those days are gone.”
We all know what happened next with appointments such as Vincent Lunny, Paul McBride and Rod McKenzie the low level paper gatherer.
Illegal embargos, Blackmail, fines and then to keep quiet when approached by Traynor re Whyte’s failure to pay the PAYE. But that’s another story of corruption
Todays decision to allow Lawwell on the Rangers hating board is no surprise to me. This is now 5 years since Reid made his comments. Their plan has worked.”
——
” the best post i have ever read on here well done sir”
——
“I am convinced Reid orchestrated the whole tax investigation and hype that came with it.
Our parent company was put out of business because of a made up tax bill.” [holding company, Sammy, holding company]
——
“It’s also notable this all kicked off round about the same time they had Platini over in the Director’s Box for no obvious reason, and lobbied the UEFA delegate nicknamed ‘The Pope’ to get involved in our games despite not being the appointed observer.”
——
“I’m also convinced if you managed to get a hold of [John Reids]’s laptop,it will also hold info regarding a certain mr Craig whyte and a takeover plot designed to destroy Rangers FC from within.”
——
“But it’s relatively common knowledge the first EBT investigation was into Celtic. They paid up and said “by the way did you know…” and lo and behold we were in the spotlight. ”
——
“There’s far too many tentacles in the web for it all to be coincidental now.”
——
” People like Reid – or, at least, those he was in contact with – would have understood the implications of the 2008 banking crisis for the Murray group.
He no doubt also heard of moves within HMRC over EBTs – notice that Celtic paid the tax on Juninho’s EBT that year.”
——
“Yes. They knew MIH was massively over leveraged, they knew the EBT dispute was coming to the boil. This was a deliberate, planned attack aimed at establishing Celtic as Scotland’s CL club and maiming, or even obliterating, their opposition. Lennon let the cat out from the bag re the title stripping farrago fully four months before the 5 way agreement. Why was Liewell at pains to point out Celtic’s financial independence months before the Club 12 farce? It’s very clearly been planned, in my view. Remember, as the Gub keeps reminding us, they are not normal.”
——
“And don’t forget the appointment of Lunny!”
——
“We must find a way to fight back, otherwise we will become the Espanyol to their Barca. I believe we will have to adopt a more aggressive and vicious strategy, miss no opportunity to stick it to them and assert our superiority.”
——
” The most salient point never to be forgotten is that Rangers were always upfront with the SFA regarding EBT’s.”
——
“Wrong, it’s more than a 5yr plan and its not complete yet. The next step is the complete renovation of their stadium and surrounding area paid for by the tax payer, this will be complete next year with a Euro final to follow.”
——
“I think one thing all this points out to me is that we need serious heavyweights in the board room. we also need These people to nurture and unleash a covert ops branch of the support.”
——
“unleash the fans”
——
“Having Green and Whyte involved in the attempt to destroy Rangers cannot possibly be just coincidence.”
——
“Dont forget Gordon Smith being at the SFA and him being hounded out a job because he was ex Rangers player and could in no way be seen as impartial.” [aging parents, Sammy]
——
“What gets my goat is I said on this very forum, the day he was appointed,this is dangerous for rangers yet got shot down in flames and laughed at.”
——
“Juninho was not their only EBT. McNamarra had his image rights paid via EBT”
——
“sounds far fetched but c’mon Charles GREEN & Craig WHYTE… surely that cannot be a coincidence,”
——
“Please refrain from getting in to an arguement as true Struthonians we have more class and dignity”
For those planning to travel to Amsterdam this is a wee copy and paste from an e mail received this morning
Applications will be sent shortly for independent travelers for the 3 Champions League away games which must be completed and returned by the closing date, complete with travel details.
So far from telephone calls and e-mails it has been become apparent that a lot of members are looking to travel to the Ajax away fixture and my suggestion would be to book via the official Celtic FC Travel Club to avoid disappointment.
Joe Cundy.
The tram from Haymarket to Murrayfield might even be open by then!
EdinburghJokeCSC
I wouldn’t hold my breath on that happening soon.
Monaghan
FF post
I have an old E Tims T shirt with paranoid on it… Should I forward it too them….?
Monaghan1900
09:37 on
4 September, 2013
“I think one thing all this points out to me is that we need serious heavyweights in the board room. we also need These people to nurture and unleash a covert ops branch of the support.”
This clown sounds as if he has been on the “Forces Sauce” :)
The Battered Bunnet
08:52 on 4 September, 2013
‘Let’s clear up a couple of small matters.
First up: Paul Murray and John McClelland will not be “returning to Rangers” as widely reported this morning.’
####
There’s a lot of confusion about this.
Why, even The Great Desmondo referred to them as having been relegated.
If he can’t get it right how do you expect the morons* in the SMSM to get it right?
*© Jack Irvine
Monaghan1900
09:37 on
4 September, 2013
“What gets my goat is I said on this very forum, the day he was appointed,this is dangerous for rangers yet got shot down in flames and laughed at.”
And this one just does not see the irony of his goat being taken.
“I think one thing all this points out to me is that we need serious heavyweights in the board room. we also need These people to nurture and unleash a covert ops branch of the support.”
This bears spent to long on Call of Duty , silly billy.
The Battered Bunnet
08:52 on
4 September, 2013
—————————————–
That sir………….Is a stoater, well done.
So the CEO of the one big club in Scotland is a member of the key SFA Board. Hardly a shocker, is it?
yorkbhoy:
If you don’t forward it to thems then do you fancy forwarding it to me? It’ll get good wear, I promise you.
Sauce for the goose and all that. Or should that be goosed?
I laughed at the end of the paranoid FF post that they have set up a new attack format as in the ” lets do it the Struthonian way” , first time I noticed that was in the article with Jack Irvine yesterday he mentioned some thing about using Struthonian tactics I think it went along the lines of brown brogues honesty and dignity, but it didn’t say any thing about taking instructions on how to row a boat,………………if you dig into the last 7 words there you will find a very interesting story involving Mr Bill Struth, Dignity, aye right.
Struthonian? Forces Sauces? As Willem Dafoe’s character says in Mississippi Burning..
” What’s WRONG with these people?”
What is the huns problem, “the best administrator in Scottish football (sic)” who buried all the bodies ,is at the top of the tree……
‘Heavyweights in the Ibrokes boardroom?!’
Great idea!
Get McCoist in there – he’s certainly a heavyweight: obese in fact!
What about the ‘the big hoose must stay open’ guy?
Another overweight heavyweight.
There’s thousands more – spoiled for choice in fact!
HH!!
Why don’t Celtic tell them to stick their Games.
For the ones that are complaining if it is Murrayfield,Celtic fans come from all over Scotland.
My preference Dublin.Celtic should consult airlines/ferry etc., for special rates.Sounds good to me.HH
Gavin Gunning issued with Notice of Complaint
Tuesday, 03 September 2013
The Compliance Officer has issued the following Notice of Complaint:
Alleged Party in Breach: Gavin Gunning, Dundee United FC
Dates: Dundee Utd v Celtic, 31st August 2013
Disciplinary Rule(s) allegedly breached:
Disciplinary Rule 200: Violent Conduct by kicking or attempting to kick an opposing player, namely Virgil Van Dijk, during the above match.
Fixed Suspension offered: Yes, three matches in total (two matches immediate and one match from 14th September 2013, applicable to the player’s recognised team’s competition group)
Principal hearing date: Thursday 5th September 2013
Mr Gunning has until Wednesday 4th September 2013 to respond to the Notice of Complaint.
Rule 200: No player shall commit offences in the Schedule of Offences in Annex C. (Such offences may be dealt with by a Fast Track Tribunal following a Compliance Officer Reference under the Judicial Panel Protocol).
.
Socceroos in Brazil: Tom Rogic
Australia midfielder Tom Rogic is hoping to earn his seventh cap for the Socceroos against a Brazil team stacked with players the Celtic midfielder may also be matching wits with in the UEFA Champions League this season.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/video/46593091729/Socceroos-in-Brazil-Tom-Rogic
Summa
Kayal33,
Or to put it another way, “We admit that the officials failed to deal with this during the game.”
Tallybhoy. I heard Shally applied for the part of Fat Bastard in the new Austin Powers movie but was rejected on the grounds of being too overweight.
Monaghan 1900
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
….Stephen Stills, Buffalo Springfield, 1967.
We are witnessing a massive sea change in Scottish Football. The P word has finally been transferred just before the window slammed shut, from the East End to the South Side of Glasgow.
hh
From Celtic research twitter.
Look at the difference in the report Massone report rightly highlights his past failings. But Paul Murray? McLelland? http://t.co/x8LVCKM5VK