Knowledge gaps in football don’t last forever. We discussed this last year when reviewing the advantage Celtic earned over others by investing in the Japanese market. On evidence from three of the four players we signed from Japan before this window, the quality recruited from there outweighs anything we have been able to acquire from European markets.
You, me and the recruitment bods at every Premiership club know this to be the case. It is also true that Japanese clubs and scouts know there is an emerging market in Scotland. If you had a player to move on, you would test the water here.
And so yesterday this particular sun rose for Hearts, who signed 21-year-old striker Yutaro Oda. The undisclosed fee is likely to be well short of £1m for a player who has made only 26 starts, giving a return of 5 goals. It should be noted Hearts had a Japanese loaner from Manchester City for season 2019-20.
Hearts fish in a different pool from Celtic. This is effectively true of every Scottish club, including Newco, who will always lose a player to Celtic, if we are sufficiently motivated. Still, any Scottish club that actually has money to spend on players would be mad not to learn from the lesson Celtic have very clearly taught them over the past 18 months.
This could be the last window we have an effective knowledge advantage for the Japanese market. The real lesson from Celtic in recent times is that these gaps exist and that finding and exploiting them is transformational.
I cannot let this go without comment. Former Rangers manager, Alex McLeish said “We’d never head down the conspiracy rabbit hole.” In response to Martin O’Neill’s unflattering comments about Scottish referees.
Those who earlier went down the conspiracy rabbit hole were able to uncover grand scale disguised renumeration during McLeish’ time as manager at Ibrox. He often fielded entire teams with “improperly registered” players. The conspiracy to hide second contracts extended to over 50 players and officials. When uncovered, it led to Rangers liquidation.
As much as anyone involved in Scottish football over the last 100 years, McLeish knows the truths that lurk down conspiracy rabbit holes. No wonder he doesn’t want to go there. How refreshing it would be if any of these dozens of characters still peddling their thoughts to the media were asked to open up about THE Grand Conspiracy in Scottish football.
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Paul67
Disappeared down a rabbit hole?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-20141946
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 11TH JANUARY 2023 1:32 PM
What ?
He didn’t get banned for an on-field tackle. He got banned for calling one of us a Fenian B*****d. His club, at the time, expressed regret. Ten years ago the same fella was scribbling FTP on social media.
Now ten games later he’s subject to gushing praise from his equally bigoted manager, telling us all how tough it’s been for a guy being absent but fit. Victimhood for poor ole Kyle.
Maybe a decent club would have reminded us what his crime was, how he was going with his rehab (no laughing at the back), why he didn’t attend Celtic Park last week (but all other Killie matches) and a bit of leadership on reminding us that this is unacceptable. Replace Fenian with Black, Pakistani or any other race and there would have been an absolute sh*tstorm but not good ole Scotland where attacks against Fenians remain the highest in police records.
But hey, when we’ve normalised it in the eyes of some Celtic fans, then we should all just be quiet and go along with the fake performance by SFA, Kille and Kyle.
Nothing to see here csc
HH
St Stivs
You couldn’t make a decent 5 a side team out of those thieving cheats.
Tom @ 1:32
Any thoughts on how lafferty coming back into the squad is being reported as compared to Aleksander Tonev of Celtic, back in the day?
I see quite a different narrative and that is why I am critical of the SMSM on this one
Has the ‘controversial’ prefix been used yet?
Thomas Buffel ( me neither )
Rainjurz Belgian midfielder
EBT payment £1.2M
BIG WAVY
What a load of absolute nonsense. Lafferty was hit with a 10 match ban for his sectarian offence. It wasn’t swept under the carpet. And I think we all know WHY he didn’t attend the Celtic v Kilmarnock match.
BIG JIMMY
I just ordered them through the post, ordered yesterday tickets received today if that helps
UNCLE JIMMY
On the STV news on Monday it was reported that Lafferty was eligible to face Celtic at Hampden after serving his suspension. The report was concluded with the words — Lafferty was suspended for 10 games as punishment for a sectarian slur caught on video.
BIG WAVY
👍
Tom
I’ll assume you didn’t read the hilarious online article in the Sun. Detailing how the big japester was doing star jumps outside the managers room. Complete with a picture of him with a huge grin on his face.
It was quite heart warming. Lovely to see.
Good to see the humour in sectarian remarks.
What fun
BIG JIMMY
When ordering your Celtic v Morton ticket online, on the payment page you are asked if you want to print your ticket at home. If you don’t select that option, the ticket is mailed to you and you are charged for postage.
It’s just as well we don’t have the death penalty in this counyry.
Tom McLaughlin
Is that death penalty sevco!
Sorry old chap, couldn’t resist. 😂
What’s nonsense in my post, Uncle Tom ?
HH
BRRB
🤣🤣🤣
Laughatme’s offence wasn’t sectarian, it was racist, and should be treated with the appropriate level of disdain and contempt.
CAMUSBHOY on 11TH JANUARY 2023 3:11 PM
BIG JIMMY
I just ordered them through the post, ordered yesterday tickets received today if that helps
…………
Cheers CAMUSBHOY.
I will try and Phone the Ticket Office and make Payment over the the Phone ?
HH.
Big Jimmy
Wish you had told me you wanted to go to the Morton Cup game. I got a ticket yesterday. Mind you, that’s probably why you didn’t tell me. 😂
Cho Gue-Sung is 1.88M
One of the most important, if not THE most important, clubs in the early days of the game was Renton FC, formed in 1872, they were a prominent team in the early history of Scottish football, and were one of the teams that featured in the first ever Scottish Cup fixture.
They won the competition twice, in 1885 and 1888, and were also runners-up three times, their 6–1 win against Cambuslang in 1888 is the joint record win, and never bettered, in a SC final with our own club, 6-1 against the Hibbees May 6, 1972, “Dixie Deans superstar how many goals have you scored so far”.
Renton were one of the first clubs to lay claim to the, unofficial, title “Champions of the UK and the World” when in 1888, as Scottish Cup holders, they challenged and beat the FA Cup holders West Bromwich Albion on May 19, 1888, this was an annual tournament played between both national cup winners as there was no viable leagues at the time, the outlander’s was formed in 1888 by the Aston Villa director Perthshire born and bred William McGregor and it was at WBA’s insistence the World Champions was added to it such was their arrogance and supremacy attitude that they would easily beat the wee villagers fae the valley where the Leven flows.
As a result of that victory 9 days later 2 of their stars played in the inaugural game of a new club playing out of the east end of Glasgow, they also lost other stars including Andrew Hannah and Bob Kelso who went on to play for several English clubs including Everton and Liverpool, the former playing in Liverpool’s first game and being the first person to captain both Merseyside clubs, what is not recognized in the game is that Liverpool’s first captain AND goalscorer, Malcolm McVean, was born and bred in nearby Jamestown, he did not join the club from any of his local sides but That Lanark who were a top club at the time..
Accordingly, In March 1890, Peter Fairly the secretary of Renton wrote to thirteen other clubs inviting them to discuss the organisation of a professional league. All of the clubs accepted the invitation, except Queen’s Park and Clyde.
Amateur club Queen’s Park, who was the oldest organised club in Scotland and had played a key role in the development of football, was opposed to the league because it would lead to professionalism and eliminate many of the smaller clubs, the Bully Wee would join the following season.
The Scottish Football League was inaugurated on 30 April 1890 and Celtic founder member and future president John Glass (the Peter Lawwell of his day) was headhunted to spearhead this new organisation, incidentally, deidco and Dumbarton ended that first season level on points and since goal average did not count at the time after a 2-2 playoff game the title was shared, so much for going for 56.
Renton was expelled after 5 games for breaching the regulations against professionalism, by playing against St Bernard’s, who had been found guilty of concealed professionalism, we had done the same thing but by that time were too big to expel, however, the SFA have never liked us since then for taking away their power over the national game and once QP had been overtaken by us the decided to back their neighbours Third Lanark, when they failed to live up to their potential the next successful club at the time were based in Kinning Park, so its not sevco or their predecessors who went the same way as the Hi Hi, who are the enemy but the denizens of hunden.. .
As for the plucky wee Tontine Park side Renton, they raised an action against the SFA in the Court of Session and won, which meant that their SFA and SFL memberships were restored, they returned to the League in 1891, but struggled financially and resigned in 1897. They continued to play in minor senior leagues before folding in 1922.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 11TH JANUARY 2023 3:19 PM
………..
Thanks TOM, but I ALSO had Online Problems trying to BOOK a Seat in the MAIN STAND, despite there many many still available ?
I also have to add that I DISAGREE with your VIEW on the Lafferty situation.
When this RACIST CHUMP was found out previously some years ago, did he SEEK ANY HELP….Did his Club at the time have him undergo any THERAPY for his RACIST BELIEFS ?
I sincerely hope and pray that this RACIST will discover just how difficult REAL life can be for many ?
I wish him NOTHING but FAILURE in anything that he tries to do after his BIGOTED BOOTS have been Hung Up.
He will soon be a ” FORGOTTEN CHUMP” in no time whatsoever, unless he gets a ” JOB” on TV etc ?
I TRULY BELIEVE that Lafferty WILL be out to seriously injure ANY Celtic player this Saturday….and getting away with it !
I enjoy have a few Bets every day….I WOULD put good money on Lafferty DELIBERATELY trying to MAIM a Celtic Player this Saturday.
We will then have that other BIGOT….McINNES DEFENDING Lafferty NO MATTER what he has done on the Pitch to any Celtic Player. I WOULD put good money on THAT ALSO.
HH
DEATH PENALTY ?
HINGING is too good for the likes of Lafferty.
HH
Gentlemen, can I suggest that lanky dreep o pish has taken up too much time on an otherwise jolly blog?
ive just discovered that Celtic v Morton game is on TV.
I will save myself the effort of getting Taxis to and from Celtic Park on this occasion.
Thanks to ALL for their advice about Tickets etc.
HH
Team for Saturday;
Joe, Big Al, CCV, Carl, Alexei, Captain, Reo, Aaron, Daizen, Kyogo, Liel. Ange told me the team after he punched out McLeish and Aitken.
BIG JIMMY on 11TH JANUARY 2023 12:36 PM
CAMUSBHOY on 11TH JANUARY 2023 12:13 PM
I’ve got tickets for the Morton game, going to be my son’s first game think it might cost me although he tells me that he still supports Real…
…………
I TRIED yesterday to buy a Ticket for this game ONLINE.
*******************
Just my luck!!!!
Sat there yesterday waiting for general sale to open – got right through online for tickets for the cup game for grandson, self and son-in-law.
Three tickets next to each other booked, great seats, too.
Then daughter number one tells me she has arranged an Airbnb weekend for self and Mrs S as an early birthday present on that same weekend! Drat and double drat!!
Ach well, daughter number 3 going in my place.
One of these days……………
More importantly, any news RON B?
With one hand behind his back and whistling a merry tune.
nice article p67
Scaniel 4.22
Hope to see you before the game. You’re buying. 😂
Scaniel
Sorry young fella, just read back, you are a no show.
A quick update on my consultation.
The consultant said that the MRI shows that the pain in my legs is probably due to an existing tumour in my lumbar sacral spine area. He will organise a single session of palliative radiotherapy plus stronger pain killers before I go on holiday next week. To Lanzarote Playa Blanca for 10 days, lucky ole me.
I willl have a CT scan and PSA count done when I get back, then we will have a meeting to discuss results and options.
Once again thanks to all for your support.
Good man Ron
RON B
Hope it was all good news today Ron.
KEEP THE FAITH
Ron
Enjoy your holiday mate. You deserve it. All the very best from me and Mrs BRRB from Govanhill.
RON BACARDI
Was posting while you were RON. Have a great holiday.
KEEP THE FAITH
Keep the spirits up Ron,enjoy your break.
Thanks for sharing
👍
HH
Enjoy your holiday Ron, you deserve it.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fhs1QoDXkAIycnE?format=jpg&name=small
The exploitation of the Japanese markets isn’t yet complete. This will be so when we sell on to a bigger league at a profit. Inevitable that this will happen. Only question is when… peak value attained yet on anyone?